The Hillsdale College men's golf team had its best fall season since the program restarted in the fall of 2014.
Now, the Chargers are getting recognized on a national level.
Golfstat released its initial 2020-21 season rankings for NCAA Division II men's golf yesterday, ranking the top 25 teams and the top 150 individuals in the country who participated in the fall segment of the season.
Hillsdale comes in at a program-best 18th in the nation in Division II, and third among the five Midwest Region teams ranked in the initial poll.
The Chargers earned the No. 18 ranking thanks to a fall season that saw them earn four top three finishes and two runner-up finishes in four events, while also tying the best 36-hole event score the team has posted since returning in 2014 with a 570 at the Music City Fall Invitational on Oct. 26-27 at The Hermitage Golf Club.
Those results included two head-to-head victories against other Midwest Region teams ranked in the top 25, No. 21 Missouri-St. Louis and No. 23 Maryville.
Among other Midwest Region teams, Great Midwest Athletic Conference rival Findlay is ranked fourth in the nation, and the University of Indianapolis is ranked fifth. The Chargers have had close battles with both teams multiple times in the fall and will see both of them again in the spring segment of the season.
The Chargers also have two player in the top 150 of Golfstat's NCAA Division II individual rankings. Fifth-year seniors George Roberts and Ryan Zetwick both made the cut based on their play in the fall.
Roberts is ranked 60th in the nation with an adjusted scoring average of 72.12 through four fall semester events. The Hampshire, England native finished in the top 10 in three of the four events he played, including tying for runner-up honors at the Kyle Ryman Memorial Invite on Oct. 5-6 at Seneca Hills Golf Club.
Zetwick is ranked 132nd in the nation with an adjusted scoring average of 73.40. The Castle Rock, Colorado native earned two top-10 finishes in the fall 2020 season, including the first-ever top five finish of his career at the Music City Fall Invite.
Hillsdale will begin the spring segment of its season on February 13 at Kiawah Island, South Carolina, where they'll play against a loaded field that includes the current top-ranked team, South Carolina-Aiken, for a two-day invite.