By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University Head Coach Patrick Daugherty has been named the Northwest Conference Men's Golf Coach of the Year for the 2022-23 season. It is the fourth consecutive year that Daugherty has been chosen for the award (2018-19, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23, no NWC competition in 2019-20 due to COVID-19).

This season, Daugherty led the Bearcats to their fourth NWC Championship in a row. The Bearcats won the NWC Tournament, placed second at the NWC Fall Classic, and were third at the NWC Spring Classic on their way to winning the overall title. Willamette has earned the NWC's automatic bid into the 2023 NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championship, set for May 16-19 at Keene Trace Golf Club in Nicholasville, Kentucky.

Willamette won the NWC Tournament with a 36-hole score of 584 (292-292), as the Bearcats earned a two-stroke margin over Whitman College, which finished second at 586 (291-295).

Oliver Smith (Fy., San Jose, CA/Pioneer HS) of Willamette took third place in the individual standings at the NWC Tournament with a score of 2-under par 142 (69-73). Smith was chosen as the NWC Men's Golf Rookie of the Year. Andrew Kibbee (Grad., Kenmore, WA/Bothell HS) was fourth at the NWC Tournament after completing the event with a score of 1-under par 143 (73-70) for the Bearcats. Alex Weirth (Sr., Port Orchard, WA/Crosspoint Academy) of Willamette tied for seventh place at 147 (72-75).

Kibbee was named First Team All-NWC for the third consecutive season after earning Second Team All-NWC honors in 2018-19. Weirth and Smith were selected for Second Team All-NWC recognition. Weirth received NWC honors for the third year in a row after being named First Team All-NWC in 2020-21 and 2021-22.