.svg){kind=small}
Big Ten Announces Men’s Golf All-Conference Teams and Individual Award Winners
ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference announced the men’s golf All-Conference teams and individual award winners on Wednesday, as voted on by the conference coaches following the 2023 Big Ten Men’s Golf Championships. Illinois’ Adrien Dumont de Chassart was named the unanimous Big Ten Golfer of the Year, Northwestern’s Daniel Svärd was tabbed the unanimous Freshman of the Year and Illini mentor Mike Small claimed Coach of the Year honors.
Dumont de Chassart finished among the top five in six of 11 tournaments this season. The three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree capped his season tying for fifth place at the Big Ten Championships and earning a spot on the All-Championships Team. A native of Villers La Ville, Belgium, Dumont de Chassart was honored with the Big Ten's Les Bolstad Award for the second straight season, given to the conference player with the lowest stroke average during the 2022-23 season. His stroke overage of 69.63 marked the lowest since for the award began in 1974. Dumont de Chassart garners the 14th Golfer of the Year honor for Illinois and the first athlete to earn the honor in three consecutive seasons since Northwestern’s Luke Donald in 2001.
Svärd was voted the unanimous Freshman of the Year after carding five top-20 finishes during the 2022-23 campaign. The Jarfalla, Sweden, native capped his debut season with a share of medalist honors at the Big Ten Championships, recording a total of 139 (-3) and helping the Wildcats to a runner-up finish. Svärd becomes Northwestern’s sixth Freshman of the Year honoree and first since David Nyfjäll in 2019.
Small led the Illini to top-four finishes in all 11 tournaments this season. Illinois won the Folds of Honor Collegiate (Sept. 28), Dayton Flyer Invitational (Oct. 18), Hal Williams Collegiate (Feb. 14), Southern Highlands Collegiate (Feb. 28), Tiger Collegiate Invitational (April 11) and the Fighting Illini Spring Collegiate (April 23) before capturing its Big Ten record-eighth straight Big Ten Championship on April 30. Illinois capped the 2023 season with a 280.63 scoring average and a No. 3 Golfstat national ranking. Small claims his 13th Coach of the Year laurel and his eighth in the last 10 years.
The All-Big Ten First Team features Illinois’ Matthis Besard, Jackson Buchanan, Tommy Kuhl, and Dumont de Chassart, Indiana’s Drew Salyers, Northwestern’s David Nyfjäll, Ohio State’s Maxwell Moldovan, and Purdue’s Herman Sekne, with Buchanan, Dumont de Chassart, Kuhl, Moldovan and Sekne all earning unanimous first-team nods.
The Big Ten also recognized 14 Sportsmanship Award honorees. The students chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, the students must be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. The complete list of honorees can be found below.
2023 BIG TEN MEN’S GOLF ALL-CONFERENCE AND INDIVIDUAL AWARD WINNERS
Big Ten Golfer of the Year: ADRIEN DUMONT DE CHASSART, ILLINOIS
Big Ten Freshman of the Year: DANIEL SVÄRD, NORTHWESTERN
Big Ten Coach of the Year: Mike Small, Illinois
ALL-BIG TEN TEAMS
First Team
Matthis Besard, Illinois
JACKSON BUCHANAN, ILLINOIS
ADRIEN DUMONT DE CHASSART, ILLINOIS
TOMMY KUHL, ILLINOIS
Drew Salyers, Indiana
David Nyfjäll, Northwestern
MAXWELL MOLDOVAN, OHIO STATE
HERMAN SEKNE, PURDUE
Second Team
Piercen Hunt, Illinois
Mitch Davis, Indiana
Mac McClear, Iowa
Drew Hackett, Michigan State
Ben Warian, Minnesota
James Imai, Northwestern
Daniel Svärd, Northwestern
Maxime Legros, Wisconsin
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
Sportsmanship Award Honorees
Tommy Kuhl, Illinois
Thomas Hursey, Indiana
Ronan Kleu, Iowa
Thomas Eubanks, Maryland
James Hill, Michigan
Troy Taylor Jr., Michigan State
Ben Warian, Minnesota
Reed Malleck, Nebraska
David Nyfjäll, Northwestern
Adam Wallin, Ohio State
Jim Meyers, Penn State
Peyton Snoeberger, Purdue
Luke Wells, Rutgers
Cameron Huss, Wisconsin
Dumont de Chassart finished among the top five in six of 11 tournaments this season. The three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree capped his season tying for fifth place at the Big Ten Championships and earning a spot on the All-Championships Team. A native of Villers La Ville, Belgium, Dumont de Chassart was honored with the Big Ten's Les Bolstad Award for the second straight season, given to the conference player with the lowest stroke average during the 2022-23 season. His stroke overage of 69.63 marked the lowest since for the award began in 1974. Dumont de Chassart garners the 14th Golfer of the Year honor for Illinois and the first athlete to earn the honor in three consecutive seasons since Northwestern’s Luke Donald in 2001.
Svärd was voted the unanimous Freshman of the Year after carding five top-20 finishes during the 2022-23 campaign. The Jarfalla, Sweden, native capped his debut season with a share of medalist honors at the Big Ten Championships, recording a total of 139 (-3) and helping the Wildcats to a runner-up finish. Svärd becomes Northwestern’s sixth Freshman of the Year honoree and first since David Nyfjäll in 2019.
Small led the Illini to top-four finishes in all 11 tournaments this season. Illinois won the Folds of Honor Collegiate (Sept. 28), Dayton Flyer Invitational (Oct. 18), Hal Williams Collegiate (Feb. 14), Southern Highlands Collegiate (Feb. 28), Tiger Collegiate Invitational (April 11) and the Fighting Illini Spring Collegiate (April 23) before capturing its Big Ten record-eighth straight Big Ten Championship on April 30. Illinois capped the 2023 season with a 280.63 scoring average and a No. 3 Golfstat national ranking. Small claims his 13th Coach of the Year laurel and his eighth in the last 10 years.
The All-Big Ten First Team features Illinois’ Matthis Besard, Jackson Buchanan, Tommy Kuhl, and Dumont de Chassart, Indiana’s Drew Salyers, Northwestern’s David Nyfjäll, Ohio State’s Maxwell Moldovan, and Purdue’s Herman Sekne, with Buchanan, Dumont de Chassart, Kuhl, Moldovan and Sekne all earning unanimous first-team nods.
The Big Ten also recognized 14 Sportsmanship Award honorees. The students chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, the students must be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. The complete list of honorees can be found below.
2023 BIG TEN MEN’S GOLF ALL-CONFERENCE AND INDIVIDUAL AWARD WINNERS
Big Ten Golfer of the Year: ADRIEN DUMONT DE CHASSART, ILLINOIS
Big Ten Freshman of the Year: DANIEL SVÄRD, NORTHWESTERN
Big Ten Coach of the Year: Mike Small, Illinois
ALL-BIG TEN TEAMS
First Team
Matthis Besard, Illinois
JACKSON BUCHANAN, ILLINOIS
ADRIEN DUMONT DE CHASSART, ILLINOIS
TOMMY KUHL, ILLINOIS
Drew Salyers, Indiana
David Nyfjäll, Northwestern
MAXWELL MOLDOVAN, OHIO STATE
HERMAN SEKNE, PURDUE
Second Team
Piercen Hunt, Illinois
Mitch Davis, Indiana
Mac McClear, Iowa
Drew Hackett, Michigan State
Ben Warian, Minnesota
James Imai, Northwestern
Daniel Svärd, Northwestern
Maxime Legros, Wisconsin
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
Sportsmanship Award Honorees
Tommy Kuhl, Illinois
Thomas Hursey, Indiana
Ronan Kleu, Iowa
Thomas Eubanks, Maryland
James Hill, Michigan
Troy Taylor Jr., Michigan State
Ben Warian, Minnesota
Reed Malleck, Nebraska
David Nyfjäll, Northwestern
Adam Wallin, Ohio State
Jim Meyers, Penn State
Peyton Snoeberger, Purdue
Luke Wells, Rutgers
Cameron Huss, Wisconsin