By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University men's golfers Peter Mitzel (Sr., Red Bluff, CA/Red Bluff HS) and Clark Wilson (Sr., Ocean Park, WA/Ilwaco HS) have been selected as Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-America Scholars for the 2016-17 season as chosen by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA). A record total of 478 athletes from all three NCAA divisions and the NAIA qualified for the award, including 90 in NCAA Division III.

The Bearcats compete in Division III and the Northwest Conference. Mitzel and Wilson were the only athletes from the NWC to earn All-America Scholar status this season.

"Both players have had tremendous four-year careers here at Willamette both in the classroom and on the golf course," Willamette Head Golf Coach Patrick Daugherty said. "I am very proud of each of them for earning this recognition from the GCAA. These two seniors have definitely left their imprint on this program and have set the bar very high both athletically and academically."

In order to be chosen as an All-America Scholar in Division III, each golfer needed to achieve at least a 3.2 minimum cumulative grade-point average (4.0 scale), be of high moral character and be in good academic standing. In addition, he had to be a junior or a senior academically who played in at least 50% of his team's competitive rounds while earning a stroke average under 79.0 for the season.

Willamette finished the season in second place in the Northwest Conference for the third consecutive season. The Bearcats placed second at the NWC Fall Classic, second at the NWC Spring Classic, and third at the NWC Tournament (just three strokes from the lead).

During the year, Willamette won the Pacific Invitational, the Willamette Cup (hosted by Lewis & Clark College), the Whitworth Invitational, and the Willamette Spring Thaw (hosted by the Bearcats). Willamette shot a school record low round of 15-under par 273 on the second day of the Whitworth Invitational on March 12.

Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar Award

Peter Mitzel (Sr.) finished the season with a 75.33 stroke average and placed in the top 10 at five tournaments. He tied for second place at the Willamette Cup on Feb. 25-26. He tied for fourth place at the NWC Fall Classic on Oct. 8-9 and also tied for fourth place at the University of Puget Sound Invitational on March 4-5.

Mitzel was chosen Second Team All-NWC in 2013-14 and 2015-16. He contributed to Willamette placing third in the final Northwest Conference standings each of the past three seasons. During his career, he placed in the top 10 at tournaments a total of 10 times. He graduated this spring with a major in Economics.

Clark Wilson (Sr.) achieved a 77.33 stroke average in 2016-17. He finished in the top 10 at four tournaments. He was third at the Willamette Spring Thaw on April 14-15 and tied for fifth place at the NWC Tournament on April 22-23.

Wilson earned All-NWC honors three times for the Bearcats. He was chosen First Team All-NWC in 2014-15. He received Second Team All-NWC recognition in 2013-14 and 2016-17. His career featured 21 top 10 finishes, including 12 tournaments where he placed in the top five. He won individual titles at the NWC Tournament and the Willamette Cup in 2014-15 and at the Whitworth Invitational in 2015-16. He graduated from Willamette this spring after completing a major in Biology.