#2 Men's Golf 5/20/2013 3:27:00 PM

Ronold headlines OCU's four all-Americans

Four Stars on GCAA first-team all-American list

Sondre Ronold turned in a 73.85 stroke average in his four-year OCU career.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sondre Ronold highlighted Oklahoma City University's NAIA men's golf all-Americans after capturing the individual national championship last week in the NAIA Championships at Creekside Golf Club in Salem, Ore.
The Stars' Anthony Marchesani, James Marchesani and Michael Palmer joined Ronold on the first team as awarded by the Golf Coaches Association of America. Anthony Marchesani also garnered the Phil Mickelson Award as the NAIA's freshman of the year.
James Marchesani, Palmer and Ronold made the first team, while Anthony Marchesani took second-team acclaim as selected by the NAIA-Men's Golf Coaches Association All-America Committee.
Mark Anderson of OCU picked up NAIA scholar-athlete honors. Anderson, a junior from Wichita, Kan., met the minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.50 by posting a 3.89 while majoring in finance.
The Stars won their ninth NAIA men's golf championship May 14-17 in Salem, Ore. OCU owns national championships taken in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012 and now, 2013. OCU has won 50 national titles in all sports.
“It's an outstanding feeling,” said OCU coach Kyle Blaser, who was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame. “The guys really fought hard this week. We had some great leadership step up and take care of business this week. It's awesome to have the guys step up. You always hope, pray, plan for guys to play well when it counts. We stress peaking at the right time. Sometimes we do, sometimes we don't. We peaked at the right time.”
Ronold took the individual crown in his only national-tournament appearance in front of his family that traveled from Stavanger, Norway. Ronold tied for first place in the San Antonio Shootout on Feb. 25-26 at TPC San Antonio, but lost in the playoff. Ronold completed his senior season with a 74.17 stroke average, Sooner Athletic Conference golfer of the week for Feb. 27-March 3 and four top-10 finishes.
“What a storybook career for him,” Blaser said of Ronold. “He puts the team first. Sondre, when we were walking the fairway, asked, 'Did the team win?' He had no clue where he stood. All he cares about is the team and his teammates. He's one of the finest young men I've ever coached.”
Ronold became the fourth individual national champion from OCU, joining Tyrone van Aswegen in 2002, Nicholas Allain in 2003 and Daniel Mitchell in 2007. Ronold accumulated a career stroke average of 73.85 in four years at OCU.
“This semester has been good,” Ronold said. "I've had good falls all four years here. My spring schedules I've underperformed a little. This spring semester has been different.”
James Marchesani notched his first all-tournament berth in the NAIA Championships with a tie for seventh place. Marchesani, a junior from Rosebud, Victoria, Australia, had five top-10 finishes and a 73.58 stroke average in 2012-13. He became a three-time consensus first-team all-American and all-conference performer.
Anthony Marchesani won The Battle at the Primm on March 25-26 in Primm Valley, Nev. He claimed four additional top-10 finishes – including at the NAIA Championships – in 11 events. Marchesani also shared SAC freshman of the year honors. Marchesani, a redshirt freshman from Victoria, Rosebud, Australia, posted a 74.45 stroke average while nabbing two SAC golfer of the week awards and the NAIA golfer of the week for March 25-31.
Ian Ansett of Wayland Baptist (Texas), Taylor Davis of Lee (Tenn.), Daniel Jansen of Faulkner (Ala.) and Ryan Odom of CSU San Marcos joined Marchesani on the GCAA NAIA all-freshmen team.
Palmer became OCU's fourth four-time all-American. Palmer collected four top-five finishes while averaging 73.65 shots per round this season. Palmer snagged two SAC golfer of the week nods and NAIA golfer of the week for April 22-28. He bettered his previous NAIA Championships finishes with a fourth-place showing.
For his career, Palmer, a senior from Johannesburg, South Africa, won his second consensus first-team all-American honor and SAC championship. Palmer helped OCU win three national titles and four league crowns while recording a career 73.16 shots per 18 holes. Clark Collier, Anthony Michael and Colin Nel are OCU's other four-time all-Americans.
Watch the post-tournament awards ceremony, Blaser's NAIA Hall of Fame induction and the daily recaps of the NAIA Championships by clicking here.
NAIA All-Americans
GCAA NAIA All-Americans

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