GOLF: MC Chaparrals Take #1 Spot in Final Poll of Fall Semester
After a highly impressive fall semester of tournament play the Midland College golf team rose to the top spot in the final NJCAA Men’s Division I poll of the fall semester of 2021. Midland College was second in the NJCAA preseason poll but surpassed defending national champion Hutchinson Community College (KS) in the November 18th poll.
By Forrest Allen
Midland College Athletics Director
Midland College Golf
Friday, November 19, 2021
Midland, Texas
MIDLAND, TEXAS - After a highly impressive fall semester of tournament play the Midland College golf team rose to the top spot in the final NJCAA Men's Division I poll of the fall semester of 2021. Midland College was second in the NJCAA preseason poll but surpassed defending national champion Hutchinson Community College (KS) in the November 18th poll.
The Chaparrals have consistently been ranked as the nation's top two-year college team all semester according to GolfStat.com which relies on strength of schedule, head to head team comparisons, course ratings and individual player scores.
NJCAA Men's Division I Team Rankings (November 18, 2021):
https://www.njcaa.org/sports/mgolf/rankings/DI/index
GolfStat.com NJCAA Men's Junior College Team Rankings:
http://www.golfstat.com/index.cfm?event=public.teamRanking&gender=M&association=njcaa&division=5
Midland College finished third in the 2021 NJCAA Men's Division I Golf Championship in Lubbock, Texas behind Hutchinson CC and Odessa College. Coach Walt Williams has assembled an even stronger team which includes both international and homegrown Texas talent.
Midland College returned four athletes who were on the national tournament team in May of 2021, including All-NJCAA player Samual McKenzie. McKenzie finished tied for eight place at the 2021 national tournament. Also returning from the national tournament team are Bladen Samaniego, Adam Coull and Aston Castillo.
Thus far into the fall semester Midland College has four golfers ranked in the Top 20 individuals in the GolfStat.com Players to Watch among two-year colleges. McKenzie is the top player in the NJCAA, followed by freshman Gregor Graham (ranked 3rd), Samaniego (5th) and Coull (18th).
Midland College's Aston Castillo is ranked 28th according to GolfStat.com, Angel Guerra is 31st, Alfie Robinson is 43rd, Lance Salisbury is 55th, Kyle Kistensamy is 73rd while Davis Seybert and Seth Campbell are ranked 84th and 87th respectively. GolfStat.com ranks the Top 100 individual players in the NJCAA out of an estimated 300 players in NJCAA Men's Division I Golf (41 teams).
GolfStat.com NJCAA Men's Junior College Individual Rankings:
http://www.golfstat.com/index.cfm?event=public.static&pg=mnjw
The Chaparrals have completed tournament play for the fall semester and will return to competition in February 2022. The 2022 NJCAA Men's Division I Golf Championship will be played at the Odessa Country Club in Odessa, Texas (hosted by Odessa College) May 10-13.