CLC golf team wins second consecutive Skyway Conference
Following a first-place finish at its final meet in West Dundee Sept. 26, the College of Lake County golf team won the 2018 Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference championship, repeating last year's conference title.
The five-member Lancers team attained a final seasonal score of 15 points after five meets, tops in the conference and based on the team's lowest seasonal total of 1224 strokes. Besides CLC, the four other Skyway Conference schools fielding golf teams include Elgin, Moraine Valley, Oakton and Waubonsee Community Colleges. During the season, which runs from late August to early October, each team hosts a conference meet, with CLC hosting its meet at Pine Meadow Golf Club in Mundelein. Teams receive points for their placement in each meet, and the team with the highest point total at the end of the season is declared the champion.
Members of the Lancers squad are freshman Konnor Kininmonth, sophomore Karl Torola, sophomore Trevor Britton, freshman Jason Giffels and sophomore Edgar Avilaortiz. Kininmonth is also the Skyway Conference medalist, having attained a league-lowest average score of 72. Torola finished second with 73.5 average. Kininmonth, Torola, Britton and Giffels also earned All-Conference honors. Kininmonth is also the Skyway Conference medalist, which is awarded to the top player in the conference.
"It's an honor to win the conference championship two years in a row, and I'm thrilled for the team because all their hard work paid off," said Chris Wyniawskyj, CLC math professor and team coach who was named Skyway Conference Coach of the Year for the second straight year. "We have formal practices two days per week, but the guys have always practiced on their own, typically four other days of the week, at driving ranges or on golf courses."
Torola added, "Winning the championship shows that all five players are solid and have been consistent week to week. We have a pretty close team, and Coach Wyniawskyj has been great in that he's left a lot of the decisions up to us, but he also has given us practical advice on things such as course contour and recovering after a bad hole. I've definitely improved my game here at CLC."
Beyond the athletic competition, Wyniawskyj and Torola emphasized that CLC places the highest priority on academics. "CLC is really good in that it has a study hall for student-athletes,
and you need to put in at least three hours of study time per week to stay on the team," said Torola, a Beach Park resident majoring in engineering science. "Coach Wyniawskyj and the staff in athletic department stay in touch with other professors and will connect you with tutors if you need help in a subject."
CLC fields 12 inter-collegiate sports teams in the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference, which is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association. For details, visit www.njcaa.org. To learn more about CLC athletics, visit www.clclancers.com.
About College of Lake County:
College of Lake County is an innovative community college in Lake County, Ill. that transforms lives with its variety of accessible, quality education options. Offered at three campuses in Grayslake, Vernon Hills and Waukegan or online, College of Lake County provides affordable options in a state-of-the-art setting close to home. A large student network, with small class sizes,
provides advantages to our students on a career-related program or a path toward a transfer degree. We're proud to serve the diverse needs of our community and student body. Connect to your future today at College of Lake County. For more information, visit www.clcillinois.edu.