Central Catholic grad named to Ben Hogan Award watch list
Ohio State’s Shipley also honored by the Big Ten earlier this season
Ohio State’s Neal Shipley, a Central Catholic grad, was named the Big Ten men’s Golfer of the Week after he won the Southwestern Invitational in January at the North Ranch Golf Club in Westlake Village, Calif.
The win was the first collegiate victory for Shipley. He carded rounds of 69-67-65 to finish at 12 under par. The final round 65 (6 under) saw Shipley make a total of eight birdies, including six in his final eight holes, to come back and win the tournament by one shot. At this tourney, it was the first time in his career in which he posted all three rounds of an event in the 60s. For the week, he made a total of 19 birdies.
Last month, at the Puerto Rico Classic, Shipley carded a bogey-free 67 in the final round and finished in a tie for 11th at 11 under par. This was his third double-digit-under-par tournament this season and it was his fourth top-20 finish in five events. For the week, Shipley made 11 birdies, an eagle and just two bogeys.
Also last month, Shipley was named to the watch list for the 2024 Ben Hogan Award presented by PNC Bank. The joint announcement was made by the Hogan Trophy Award Foundation, the Friends of Golf (FOG) and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).
The Ben Hogan Award presented by PNC Bank annually awards the top men’s NCAA Division I, II or III, NAIA or NJCAA college golfer based on all collegiate, amateur and professional events over the previous 12 months.
Shipley was the U.S. Amateur runnerup and will play in both the Masters and U.S. Open this summer. This year’s list of 10 semifinalists will be unveiled April 19. That group will be pared down to three finalists on May 2. The winner will be crowned May 20.
The Ben Hogan Award presented by PNC Bank has honored the most outstanding amateur collegiate golfer at Colonial Country Club since 2002. Prior to its move to Fort Worth, Texas, the original Ben Hogan Trophy, which was awarded based on a different list of criteria, was issued at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles, beginning in 1990.
Brownsville grad appears with U-20 national women’s soccer team
Current University of North Carolina women’s soccer player Tessa Dellarose, a Brownsville grad, was called up to the U.S. under-20 women’s youth national team for a training camp in Bogota, Colombia, this past month.
Dellarose was part of the CONCACAF qualifying roster that secured the USWYNT’s spot in the U-20 World Cup. She played in two matches against the Colombia U-20 WNT, the hosts of the 2024 under- 20 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
A defender, Dellarose was selected to the U-20 national team that helped the Americans qualify for the 2024 U-20 World Cup with its runner-up finish at the CONCACAF championships in 2023. She played in all five matches of that tournament and scored a goal against Jamaica.
Dellarose was one of only nine Tar Heels to appear in all 23 matches during her sophomore season in 2023 and earned three starts. She averaged 33.8 minutes per game and finished the season with one goal and two assists, with her first career goal coming in her first start of the season.
The training camp and exhibition matches served as preparation for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, which will be held from Aug. 31 to Sept. 22, 2024, and will include players born on or after Jan. 1, 2004.
Waynesburg Central grad earns wrestling honor for Lock Haven
Also last month, Lock Haven redshirt sophomore Wyatt Henson (Waynesburg Central) was named the MAC Eastern Division Wrestler of the Week for the third time this season.
Henson, the nation’s leader in tech falls at that time, picked up another one to remain at the top of all Division I wrestlers. Henson needed just 3 minutes and 27 seconds to tech Northern Illinois’ Jacob Brya 22-6 for this 30th win of the season and his 16th tech fall, which is tied for the most in school history for a single season.
South Park grad earn wrestling honor for Clarion
Last month, the Mid-American Conference announced that Clarion’s Joey Fischer (South Park grad) was the MAC East Wrestler of the Week.
Fischer defeated Lock Haven’s Anthony Noto, ranked eighth in the nation at the time, by 9-6 decision in a road dual.