NSU Golf Classic raises $40,000 for RiverHawk athletics

(Tahlequah, Okla.)--Enjoying one of its most successful tournaments, the Northeastern State University Golf Classic played on June 4 raised about $40,000 for the RiverHawk athletic teams.

Serving as the largest fundraiser for the NSU Department of Athletics, the Golf Classic hosted 32 four-person teams at Cherokee Hills Golf Club in Catoosa.

"We would like to thank the NSU Athletic Association and Ted Vancuren, the Golf Classic chair, for taking the lead and making this year's golf classic a success," said Tony Duckworth, athletic director. "The alumni, supporters and participants who played are greatly appreciated, and we are grateful to the sponsors and donors. These proceeds will supplement other fundraising dollars to help us enhance the student-athlete experience at NSU."

Numerous prizes were given away, including rounds of golf at some of the top courses in northeast Oklahoma and a grand prize drawing for six seats in the Love Bottling suite at OneOK Field for a Tulsa Drillers game.

Wade Bennett, an NSU alumnus from Locust Grove, was awarded $5,000 for recording a hole-in-one.

First place went to the team of John Hron IV, John Hron V, Ed Shepherd and Scott Shepherd. There was a tie for second place, won by the team of Andy Quetone, Cody Quetone, Doug Evans and Jordan Whitford, and the team of Joe Ragsdale, Kelly Bell, Steve Burchett and Derrick Daniels.

The event's title sponsors were the Cherokee Nation, the United Keetoowah Band, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, BancFirst and Love Bottling Co. Inc.

"This was one of the Golf Classic's best years of sponsorship," said Scott Pettus, assistant director of exterior operations for the athletics department. "We could not possibly enjoy this level of success without our title sponsors, and we had several $1,000 and $500 sponsors. We also had a long list of $250 "Hole Sponsors" and numerous smaller donations."

For more information about NSU athletics, call 918-444-3900