SMCC Men's Golf Announces Four-Year Transfers
PHOENIX ---
Sophomores Ethan Klose (New Mexico State), Zachary Erskine (Utah Valley University) and Damon Vilkauskas (University of Wyoming) of the SMCC men's golf team will continue their intercollegiate golf careers at NCAA Division I programs for the upcoming 2023-24 season. All three were NJCAA All-Americans during their Cougar careers, with Erskine and Klose helping SMCC win the 2022 NJCAA Division II National Championship and Vilkauskas finishing as the individual runner-up at the 2023 NJCAA Division II National Championships.
"We are extremely happy to have three sophomores getting the opportunity to play at the next level on scholarship," said SMCC head coach Brady Edwards. "All three helped lead the team this year and I believe they will help create a winning environment on their next team."
Klose earned 2023 NJCAA Division II PING First Team All-American & All-West Region honors after competing in eight spring tournaments during the 2023 spring campaign. He won the Mesa Thunderbird Invitational at -5 (139) and took second at the Eastern Arizona Invite at -4 (140). Klose also placed fourth at the CGCC Invitational at -7 (135) and tied for fourth at the Paradise Valley Invite at -3 (141).
In 2022, Klose took sixth at the NJCAA DII National Championships at +6 (294 and earned NJCAA First Team All-American honors as the team won the eighth National Championship in program history. He placed second at the Region I Championships at -3 (281), placed second at the Paradise Valley Classic at -7 (137), and tied for second at the Gaucho Spring Shootout at +3 (145).
The New Mexico State University Aggies compete in the Western Athletic Conference.
After playing in eight spring tournaments, Erskine earned 2023 NJCAA Division II Second Team All-American and PING Second Team All-American honors. He tied for 16th at the NJCAA Division II National Championships at +8 (296) and seventh at the Region I Division II Championships at +5 (289). He tied for first at the CGCC Invitational at -8 (134), placed second at the Estrella Mountain Invite at -5 (137), and tied for second at the Mesa Thunderbird Invitational at -1 (143).
In 2022, Erskine tied for 10th at the Region I Championships at +12 (296) and placed 29th at +16 (304) at the 2022 NJCAA DII National Championships. He posted a third-place finish at the Estrella Mountain Invite at -3 (139) and tied for third at Chandler-Gilbert Invite at -1 (141).
The Utah Valley University Wolverines compete in the Western Athletic Conference.
After playing in eight spring tournaments, Vilkauskas received 2023 NJCAA Division II and PING First Team All-American honors. He finished second at the NJCAA Division II National Championships at -5 (283) and won three spring events. Vilkauskas won the Region I Division II Championships at -10 (274), the Estrella Mountain Invite at -9 (133), and the Paradise Valley Invite at -7 (137).
Vilkauskas also played at SMCC in the 2021 season, earning NJCAA Division II and PING Honorable Mention All-American honors. He tied for 22nd at the NJCAA Division II National Championships at +12 (300) and tied for second at Pima CC Invitational at -1 (143). He also tied for third at -3 (141) at the season-opening Mesa Thunderbird Invitational and fourth with a -2 (140) at the South Mountain Classic.
The University of Wyoming Cowboys compete in the Mountain West Conference.