By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Sam Hinton (So., Seaside, OR/Seaside HS) from Willamette University has been selected as the Northwest Conference Men's Golf Student-Athlete of the Week for his efforts during the Willamette Spring Thaw on Friday, April 14 and Saturday, April 15 at the Oregon Golf Association (OGA) Golf Course.

Hinton won the individual championship with a 36-hole score of 144. He shot a 2-under-par 70 on Saturday for the tournament's only below-par round of the weekend. He carded a 74 in the second round. Hinton led a 1-2-3 finish for the Bearcats, with Kenneth Sheldon (So., Ocean Park, WA/Ilwaco HS) in second place, one stroke off the pace at 145 (73-72), and Clark Wilson (Sr., Ocean Park, WA/Ilwaco HS) in third place at 147 (74-73).

Led by Hinton, Sheldon and Wilson, the Bearcats won the team title with an overall score of 589. Willamette registered a score of 295 in the first round and followed up with a 294 in the second round. The Bearcats won by 18 stroke over Whitworth University, which finished second at 607.

Willamette will be back in action at the Northwest Conference Tournament on Saturday, April 22 and Sunday, April 23 at the Tacoma Country & Golf Club. The NWC Tournament counts for one-half of the overall NWC team championship.

With the NWC Fall Classic and the NWC Spring Classic -- each worth one-fourth of the title -- already completed, the Bearcats are in second place in the standings. Pacific Lutheran University leads the NWC standings with 16 points (two first place finishes), while Willamette has 14 points (two second place finishes) and George Fox University has 10 points.

The winner of the NWC Tournament will receive 16 points, with points awarded to other teams on a 14-12-10-8, etc. basis.