By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University men's golf team has been picked to win the 2016-17 Northwest Conference Championship according to the NWC Men's Golf Preseason Poll, as voted on by the NWC head coaches. Willamette finished second in the NWC overall standings each of the past two seasons behind Whitworth University.

In this year's poll, Willamette gained the top spot after receiving five of nine first place votes and 66 points. Pacific Lutheran University was second with two first place votes and 58 points. Whitworth, which lost most of last year's top players due to graduation, was third in the poll with two first place votes and 48 points.

George Fox University held fourth place in the poll with 42 points. Lewis & Clark College was fifth with 34 points, Linfield was listed sixth with 33 points, University of Puget Sound followed in seventh with 22 points, Whitman College was eighth with 19 points, and Pacific University was ninth with nine points.

Three tournaments are used to determine the overall NWC team champion each season. The NWC Fall Classic and the NWC Spring Classic are each worth one-fourth of the title. The NWC Tournament is worth one-half of the championship. In 2015-16, Willamette won the NWC Spring Classic, placed second at the NWC Fall Classic, and was third at the NWC Tournament to earn second place overall.

The Bearcats graduated two All-NWC selections from a year ago in Steven Rodriquez, chosen First Team All-NWC, and Chase Lamothe, who earned Second Team All-NWC honors.

Peter Mitzel (Red Bluff, CA/Red Bluff HS), who joined Rodriguez as a First Team All-NWC golfer last season, is back for his senior year. He is joined by seven other returning athletes, as every member of Willamette's team has at least one season of collegiate golfing experience.

Trent Jones (So., Kenmore, WA/Shorecrest HS) took first place at two tournaments last season. He won the Pacific Fall Classic and the Willamette Spring Thaw. Mitzel, Jones and Clark Wilson (Sr., Ocean Park, WA/Ilwaco HS) all competed at the NWC Tournament this past spring.

Head Coach Patrick Daugherty is in his fourth season leading the Willamette men's golf team. It is his seventh season on the coaching staff.

The Bearcats open the 2016-17 season today, Monday, Sept. 12, at the Oregon Tech Invitational in Klamath Falls, Oregon. The tournament begins with 36 holes today, followed by 18 holes on Tuesday (Sept. 13).

2016-17 NWC Men's Golf Preseason Poll (1st place votes in parentheses)
1. Willamette (5), 66 points, 2nd place in NWC in 2015-16
2. Pacific Lutheran (2), 58 points, 3rd place in NWC
3. Whitworth (2), 48 points, 1st place in NWC
4. George Fox, 42 points, 4th place tie in NWC
5. Lewis & Clark, 34 pionts, 6th place in NWC
6. Linfield, 33 points, 4th place tie in NWC
7. Puget Sound, 22 points, 7th place in NWC
8. Whitman, 19 points, 8th place in NWC
9. Pacific, 9 points, 9th place in NWC

Note: Points were awarded on a 9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.