The Black Hawk College Braves golfers are headed to the NJCAA Division II National Championship after winning the Region 4 Tournament and the Arrowhead Conference.
Additionally, Mason Steinert became just the fourth player in BHC history to win both the individual Conference Championship and the individual Regional Championship in the same season.
“Mason’s growth from his first semester averaging mid-80s to now being a Conference and Region Champion has been nothing short of amazing,” head coach Shayne Shepherd said.
“He is a very humble young man who deserves every bit of the glory and pride he has earned this year,” Shepherd said.
In only his second year as head coach, Shepherd – a former BHC golfer – was named Coach of the Year for the Arrowhead Conference, an honor determined by his fellow coaches in the conference.
“My players and staff are the true recipients of this award,” Shepherd said. “The players put in endless hours working on their craft, learning and growing their games to win as a team.
“They also do their best in the classroom every semester to have a good team GPA as a group,” he said. “They have learned to do things for each other, not just themselves.
Shepherd also credited his assistant coaches.
“My coaching staff has put in countless hours to be the best they can be for such a passionate group of kids,” he said. “I am lucky to have a great staff behind me.”
The BHC golf staff includes Wes Llewellyn, a longtime assistant who coached Shepherd when he golfed at Black Hawk College, and Peyton Perez, also a former BHC player.
The Braves will compete May 21-24 in 2024 NJCAA Divisions II Men’s Golf Championship in Joplin, MO.