White Wins Russell Award

OTTUMWA --- An Indian Hills Community College golfer has won a prestigious national award.  William White, who just completed his sophomore season at IHCC, is the winner of the 2013 Jimmy Russell Award, given to the golfer judged to be the NJCAA’s Student-Athlete of the Year.

This is the fourth year that the Russell Award has been presented and it goes to the outstanding sophomore NJCAA golfer who exemplifies academic excellence, good citizenship and outstanding play in men’s golf over the course of his career.

White, who has signed to attend Northern Illinois University, wrapped up his career at Indian Hills earlier this month with an 11^th-place finish at the NJCAA National Tournament where he shot under-par rounds the last three days.  White had top-ten finishes in all four tourneys prior to the national meet, including a tie for medalist honors in the Augustana Invitational.  He was in the top-13 in nine of the ten meets he played his sophomore year.

“We were fortunate to have William represent Indian Hills golf in the classroom, in the community and on the golf course,” said IHCC coach Mike Hagen.  “He truly embodies what it means to be a student-athlete.”

The Jimmy Russell Award was created in honor of the Hall of Fame coach at Odessa College who was instrumental in starting the NJCAA National Golf Championship and won six national titles at Odessa.

One of White’s teammates at Indian Hills for the past two years, Ben Ludlam, will be heading to St. John’s University in New York in the fall after signing a letter-of-intent with the Storm.

Ludlam, like White, played on the Warriors’ 2012 national championship golf team.  He was given the Phil Mickelson Award as the top freshman golfer in the NJCAA after his first year at Indian Hills.

Ludlam and White will be joined in the Division I ranks next year by Indian Hills teammates Mitch Tucker and Connor Peck.  Tucker and Peck will play at University of Missouri-Kansas City and Kansas University, respectively.

“I’m excited for the next step in each of these young men’s golf careers,” Hagen said of his four golfers who will be moving on.  “While at Indian Hills, all four have worked extremely hard and represented our program in a very positive manner.”