STEVE CARPENTER
HutchCC Sports Information
Heading into its 2021 fall-season opener next week, the 2021 NJCAA National Champion Hutchinson Community College men’s golf team is ranked No. 1 in two national polls.
The Blue Dragons maintained their No. 1 ranking in the Bushnell/Golf Week Rankings and were also ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA Men’s Division I Golf preseason rankings.
Hutchinson captured its first team national title last May in Lubbock, Texas, when the Blue Dragons defeated Odessa College by nine strokes with a team score of 1,134 (16 under par).
Veteran head coach Chris Young brings three All-Americans back for the 2021-22 season – Defending NJCAA Individual national champion Ben Partridge, 2021 national runner-up Harry Crockett and third-team All-American Cameron Rios-Ceballos (13th at nationals).
Hutchinson, Midland and McLennan are the top-three teams in both national rankings. Odessa is No. 4 with Iowa Western and Eastern Florida tied for fifth in the NJCAA Rankings. Iowa Western and Eastern Florida are tied for fourth in the GolfWeek rankings with Odessa sixth.
Dodge City and Garden City are the other KJCCC teams in the rankings. Dodge City is ninth in the GolfWeek rankings and 10th in the NJCAA Rankings. Garden City is tied for 14th in the NJCAA Rankings and receiving votes in the GolfWeek Rankings.
The Blue Dragons will play four fall tournaments starting on Monday at the Missouri Southern Fall Invitational at Shangri-la Country Club in Monkey Island, Oklahoma.
BUSHNELL/GOLFWEEK RANKINGS
Pts. Last Poll
1. Hutchinson (5) 50 1
2. Midland 45 3
3. McLennan 37 7
T4. Eastern Florida State 28 NR
T4. Iowa Western 28 8
6. Odessa 21 2
7. Indian Hills 19 5
8. Central Alabama 17 NR
9. Dodge City 10 T10
T10. New Mexico JC 9 NR
Others Receiving Votes: Calhoun, 7; Western Texas, 3; Garden City, 1.
NJCAA PRESEASON RANKINGS
1. Hutchinson
2. Midland
3. McLennan
4. Odessa
T5. Iowa Western
T5. Eastern Florida
7. Indian Hills
8. Central Alabama
9. Calhoun
10. Dodge City
11. New Mexico Junior College
T12. Jefferson State
T12. Western Texas
T14. Ranger
T14. Garden City
16. Eastern Wyoming
17. Wallace State
18. Northeastern Junior College
19. Southern Union
20. Eastern Arizona