Cecil Belisle Wins NJCAA Division II National Championship Individual Medalist Honors
PHOENIX ---
Freshman Cecil Belisle finished at six-under, 282 to win Individual Medalist honors at the NJCAA Division II National Championships May 18-21 at Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, Indiana. A freshman from Red Wing, Minn., Belisle was nine-under-par after the first two rounds and finished at even-par 72 in the final round to win the tournament. As a team, SMCC finished at 18-over to place second in the tournament.
Belisle, who won two other times during the 2021 spring season, opened with a five-under 67 and then carded a four-under 68 in the second round to take a commanding lead. Then, after finishing at three-over, 75 in the third round, he rebounded with an even-par 72 to win the event by four strokes over Glendale CC's Logan Eatherton.
In all, Belisle finished with four eagles and was -13 on the course's par fives throughout the tournament. Belisle also finished at even-par on the tournament's par three holes, and he added 10 birdies over the 72 holes.
Belisle received First Team ACCAC Division II and NJCAA Region I honors earlier this spring after winning twice. He claimed individual medalist honors with a four-under, 276 over the four rounds at the NJCAA Region I Division II tournament, including a five-under performance over rounds two and three. He also won the Scottsdale CC Invitational Mar. 1-2 at Hillcrest Golf Club. Belisle opened the tournament with a four-under, 68 to take a one-stroke lead over two teammates.
In the team competition, the Cougars opened with two strong rounds to put them in the lead. However, a tough third day dropped them to second, and they were unable to catch 2021 NJCAA Division II National Champion Parkland CC (Fla.), who wound up beating SMCC by two strokes.
Sophomores Nick Hedman and Ryan Macpherson tied for 15th in Indiana, finishing at 10-over for the event. Hedman opened with an even-par 72 and was at one-under through two rounds, while Macpherson's best two rounds were a 73 in round two and a 72 in round four.
Freshman Damon Vilkauskas tied for 22nd at 12-over, posting three rounds of 74 at the tournament. Fellow freshman Jando Hernandez tied for 26th at 13-over, carding two rounds of 74 to open the event.
Hedman, Macpherson and Vilkauskas earned NJCAA Region I Division II honors, while Hedman and Vilkauskas received First Team All-ACCAC awards, and Macpherson received a spot on the conference's Second Team.
Hedman won twice during the spring, claiming individual medalist honors at the Pima CC Invitational and the Paradise Valley Invitational. Macpherson won the season-opening Mesa CC Invitational and the South Mountain Classic.
