Ichabods place 4 on All-MIAA golf team, Hamilton named coach of the year
April 25, 2007

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -- The conference champion Washburn Ichabods had four players earn recognition on the All-MIAA Men's Golf Team, including the league's Player of the Year.

The All-MIAA Team is selected based on a point system determined by the players' finish at the five conference-sanctioned events played this season ­ two in the fall and three in the spring.

The lowest scorer in each meet is awarded 10 points, while the 10th lowest is given one point. This is the 10th season the system has been used to determine the honorees.

The Ichabods, who scored a perfect 48 points to win the league crown, were led on the all-conference list by sophomore Matt Ewald. The Leawood, Kan., native was the top performer in four of the five MIAA-sanctioned events and easily secured the Player of the Year award.

He was one of five players who previously had earned All-MIAA recognition to make this season's list. Ewald, senior Tommy Clifford of Missouri Southern (33 points) and senior Danny Markham of Central Missouri (39 points) were repeaters from last season's team.

Washburn junior Ryan Deutsch and junior Aaron Lisenbee of Missouri Western (34 points) returned to the All-MIAA squad after making it as freshmen in 2004-05.

Ewald, Clifford and Lisenbee were the only players to have top 10 finishes in all five league events in 2006-07.

Other Ichabods joining Ewald and Deutsch on the team were freshman Matt Lazzo and junior John Robbins. Ewald, Lazzo and Deutsch finished 1-2-3 in the MIAA Tournament Championship Tuesday (April 24) at Hollister, Mo.

Senior Eric Byers joins Clifford as one of two Southern Lions to make the team, while the UCM Mules had two on the list with Markham along with freshman Justin Yoder. Yoder was the only player other than Ewald to win a conference event this season -- ironically the Washburn Invitational.

Junior Nick Rotolo, from conference newcomer Fort Hays State (17 points), rounds out the 10-member squad.

Washburn's Doug Hamilton, who helped guide the Ichabods to their fourth conference championship in five seasons as well as their second perfect record in three seasons, earns MIAA Coach of the Year recognition.

Name, School Yr. Hometown
Eric Byers, MSSU Sr. Humboldt, Kan.
+Tommy Clifford, MSSU Sr. Overland Park, Kan.
*Ryan Deutsch, WU Jr. Topeka, Kan.
+Matt Ewald, WU So. Leawood, Kan.
Matt Lazzo, WU Fr. Wichita, Kan.
*Aaron Lisenbee, MWSU Jr. Savannah, Mo.
+Danny Markham, UCM Sr. Harrison, Ark.
John Robbins, WU Jr. Omaha, Neb.
Nick Rotolo, FHSU Jr. Liberal, Kan.
Justin Yoder, UCM Fr. Versailles, Mo.

+=Earned All-MIAA in 2005-06 *=Earned All-MIAA in 2004-05

Player of the Year: Matt Ewald, WU

Coach of the Year: Doug Hamilton, WU