It was a historic day for the West Virginia golf team.
That’s because senior and Greensburg native Mark Goetz became the school’s first All-American golfer.
Goetz, who just missed qualifying for the NCAA Division I championship, was named an honorable mention All-American by Golfweek.
“This is a big moment, not only for Mark, but our young program,” WVU coach Sean Covich said. “I’ve been saying since we restarted the program in 2015 that someone would become the first All-American golfer at WVU, and now that time has come.”
Goetz became WVU’s first NCAA Regional qualifier this season, finishing second at 8-under-par in the NCAA Regional in Noblesville, Ind.
In May, Goetz was named to the Division I PING All-Midwest Region Team by the Golf Coaches Association of America.
“It has been great to watch Mark’s development on and off the golf course,” Covich said. “He came here as a talented and unrefined freshman in 2017 and now is one of the best players in the country.
“The key to his success was turning disappointments into motivation. He has worked hard on his game. He trusts his process, and he keeps moving forward regardless of the result. I am very happy for Mark, and I know he wants to lead this team to great things next season.”
Covich announced last week that Goetz will return for a fifth season of eligibility in 2021-22.
Goetz is entered in the Sunnehanna Amateur, which begins Wednesday. He is the returning West Penn Open champion.
He also won the 2021 Mountaineer Classic.
