Wittenberg Golf Senior Spotlight
Wittenberg University Athletics is celebrating the Senior classes from each of the spring sports that missed out on their Senior Day experience, over the next few weeks. Today we highlight the members of the Wittenberg men's and women's golf team and hear about what they love most about being a Wittenberg Tiger and more.
Name: Ryan Mallette
Hometown: Canton, Ohio
What is your favorite/best memory as a student-athlete at Wittenberg?
My favorite memory from my time at Wittenberg would have to be winning a National Championship.
What do you love most about being a Wittenberg Tiger?
I love my teammates and the Wittenberg golf culture, but also how close the athletic community is as a whole.
Outside of Athletics, who is the one campus staff or faculty member that had the most impact on you during your time at Wittenberg?
The biology department is amazing and has really allowed me to follow my dreams. For me personally, Dr. Collier and Dr. Pederson have been two professors who have been infinitely helpful in my four years.
What is one piece of advice you would like to leave for the underclassmen or any recruits looking to become a part of your team in the future?
The winning culture provides the opportunity to improve exponentially as an individual, which in turn improves the team. As a member of the team, you earn this opportunity, but you need to fight every moment to push yourself to be the best you can, and this will push your teammates in the same way.
Why should a High School Prospect choose Wittenberg?
To become a better person while playing the sport you love as part of a national-caliber program.
Name: Curtis Salmans
Hometown: Worthington, Ohio
What is your favorite/best memory as a student-athlete at Wittenberg?
Winning a National Championship in 2017
What do you love most about being a Wittenberg Tiger?
The community and support of the students and faculty.
Outside of Athletics, who is the one campus staff or faculty member that had the most impact on you during your time at Wittenberg?
Dr. Cunningham has always been a huge help.
What is one piece of advice you would like to leave for the underclassmen or any recruits looking to become a part of your team in the future?
When you are struggling or falling behind, remember those negative emotions, so that you can use those emotions to motivate yourself to succeed.
Why should a High School Prospect choose Wittenberg?
Because Wittenberg is a place for a person to grow as a player and as a person to better themselves for their future.
Name: Megan Selby
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
What is your favorite/best memory as a student-athlete at Wittenberg?
I'm not sure that I can pinpoint one memory individually. There are way too many to choose from. However, I have a lot of great memories practicing in the golf room throughout the off season. Pretty much every day I would make it a point to stop in between classes to get a few swings or putts in of course, but the real reason was to see my teammates. Our team was so driven and dedicated that I knew there would always be someone in there to hang out and catch up with. Being surrounded by and pushed by my teammates are some of my best memories.
What do you love most about being a Wittenberg Tiger?
Being a Wittenberg Tiger, makes me feel like I am a part of something. When I was a freshman, I was welcomed with open arms by the upperclassmen who taught me the ropes. When I arrived on campus, I automatically felt a sense of belonging by having the built-in friendships of my fellow freshmen from the men and women's team. I constantly had professors and other students asking me about golf. I love how feeling like you belong instills a sense of responsibility to uphold something bigger than yourself.
Outside of Athletics, who is the one campus staff or faculty member that had the most impact on you during your time at Wittenberg?
Two professors come to mind, one from each of my majors. Professor Steidel is always someone I have looked up to especially throughout my time as part of the CABLE program. He is someone I know I can always come to for honest advice. From the Communication Department, Dr. Waggoner. I worked for her and the department for a few semesters and I always looked forward to our weekly meetings. They would start off about work but would turn into just catching up by the end. I always felt that she genuinely cared about me.
What is one piece of advice you would like to leave for the underclassmen or any recruits looking to become a part of your team in the future?
The Wittenberg golf program is something special. It is something that has challenged me and pushed me in ways that I couldn't imagine. It has made me a better player, teammate, and leader. It has taught me so much about myself. Take advantage of what this program has to offer, but never take for granted what wearing that uniform means. I will always be proud to be a Tiger and would do anything to represent this team just one more time.
Why should a High School Prospect choose Wittenberg?
I came to Wittenberg not knowing a single soul, but for some reason, I felt a pull towards the campus. I figured out through my four years that Wittenberg is a special place that is hard to describe in words. Not only is the campus so unique and beautiful, but so are the people. The people at Wittenberg are those that will guide you, push you, celebrate you, help you, and shape you in the best way possible. Everyone's experience is different. I can say mine helped me develop into a hardworking, confident, and compassionate person. Wittenberg is the sunshine everyone needs in their lives.
Name: Cameron Willis
Hometown: Eaton, Ohio
What is your favorite/best memory as a student-athlete at Wittenberg?
I have two favorite memories as a student-athlete. Winning the National Championship my freshman year was probably the best memory I have. I got to the fairway with my coach and he knew we had won and gave me a big hug before I had even finished playing. Walking up to the green and seeing my teammates off to the side smiling and crying was a great feeling and one I will never forget. I think my favorite memory as a student-athlete was our NCAC Championship win in 2019. Going into the tournament, we knew we were the favorites to win as we were ranked 4th in the country. But that affected the way we played the first day. We finished the first day 11 shots back with only one day left. Going into the second day, we were all focused. Everyone on the team knew the job we had for the day which was to go low and come back from a deep deficit. We all played lights out because we were playing with the fire that we needed to have the first round and won by 9 shots. It was a great learning experience for us all and showed a lot of grit
What do you love most about being a Wittenberg Tiger?
There are two great things about being a Wittenberg Tiger: winning and growth. When I was doing my college searching, I wanted to win and compete at the highest level but also grow as a player. While Wittenberg is a Division III institution, the way teams' practice, workout and compete gives it the feel that you are competing at the highest level (and often that is the case). I always loved that the golf team was able to get invited to Wright State's tournament because it gave us a chance to prove to Division I schools that we were just as good, if not better, than them. Wittenberg also breeds athletes from when they first enter as a freshman. Over four years, if you are fully invested in your team, you will be surprised at the transition and improvement you will see in your abilities.
Outside of Athletics, who is the one campus staff or faculty member that had the most impact on you during your time at Wittenberg?
Linda Beals, who now works in Admissions, has had the largest impact on me. She was my boss for my four years as a student worker and was a great support system to have on campus. I looked forward to going into work every day to catch up or keep her informed on what was going on with sports or life.
What is one piece of advice you would like to leave for the underclassmen or any recruits looking to become a part of your team in the future?
The hardest thing to stomach when being on the golf team is not playing in the lineup. Coming from high school, we all played in every tournament. It's important for any incomer to keep in mind that when you aren't in the lineup, it should make you want to work harder. Never get discouraged or feel let down because you didn't play well enough. We all go through stints of good golf and bad golf. If you stay positive and focus on putting the work in, the coaches will notice, and your scores will start to show. The other piece of advice I would give is to prepare for every tournament like it's your last. What I mean by that is that you should always be working to have your game in the best possible shape. I would've worked harder for our spring break tournament than I did had I known it would be my last tournament. It hurts to say but it's true. Not that I didn't work hard leading up to the tournament, but I know that I could've put more effort in to play better that tournament. So, my advice would be to always be working hard and never take it for granted.
Why should a High School Prospect choose Wittenberg?
Wittenberg should be your top choice because of the opportunities for growth it provides through the facilities, staff, and support that are available for student-athletes. There are few, if any, institutions that can offer the personable learning experience that Wittenberg's community offers. But also, very few schools that offer the best facilities for you to work on and improve your game in whatever sport you may play.