Golf Programs Unveil Class of 1957 Indoor Golf Training Center

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights Golf Practice Facility at the College Ave Gym in New Brunswick, NJ on Monday September 29, 2020.
(Ben Solomon/Rutgers Athletics)

Photo by: (Ben Solomon/Rutgers Athletics)

Golf Programs Unveil Class of 1957 Indoor Golf Training Center

Dec 10 | Men's Golf, Women's Golf, R Fund

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers men’s and women’s golf programs unveiled the Class of 1957 Indoor Golf Training Center, located inside the College Avenue Gym in New Brunswick. The state-of-the-art, two-room facility features indoor putting space with Envyscapes turf and a hitting bay with Swing Catalyst technology, allowing student-athletes from both teams to train year-round.

“This is a game changer for our student-athletes to be able to train right where they live,” said men’s head coach Rob Shutte. “Our student-athletes are busier than ever so the location and technology inside the facility make this a winning formula for our entire program. On behalf of the entire men’s golf team, we can't thank the supporters enough who made this facility a reality.”

“We are very excited about the Class of 1957 Training Center,” said women’s head coach Kari Williams. “Our student-athletes have maximized the shared athletic facilities we had available to our program. This new space provides our golf athletes access to practice year-round with the newest technology; we now have the ability to do the all the work in the off-season that we have been lacking. I want to thank all of the friends of the golf programs that contributed to this project.”

“It’s awesome to finally have a facility like this,” said reigning Big Ten Player of the Year Christopher Gotterup. “All of the technology, including the trackman simulator, force plate measurements and cameras able to capture every angle of our swings, will be vital towards our team’s progress in the future. Personally, it is just more of a reason to want to work harder and use each resource Rutgers has provided in order to put the best product out on the course week in and week out.”

“The new indoor facility is incredible,” said senior Eun Won Park. “To have the ability to work inside whenever we need to, in addition to all of the technology and tools we have in the room, is really exciting and motivating. My favorite aspect of it is the different camera angles to review my swing, paired with the launch monitor data. I feel like we now have the chance to focus in on the details and continue improving our swings during the winter months.”

"Because of the generosity of the Class of 1957 and the rest of our donors towards this project, we now have a fantastic indoor facility that will help our golf programs continue their upward trajectory in the Big Ten Conference,” said Director of Athletics Pat Hobbs. “I know Coach Shutte and Coach Williams are enormously appreciative. Many hours will be spent there by our student athletes in the years ahead. We want to thank our donors who allowed us to turn the Class of 1957 Indoor Golf Training Center into a reality."

The game-changing facility was spearheaded by the Rutgers University Class of 1957, who previously provided financial assistance towards the purchase of RU’s 2017 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van used to get both programs to tournaments around the country. Thanks to the leadership of the Class of 1957 President Tom Carpenter and Vice President Harold Kaplan, the idea of an indoor practice area for RU’s golf teams went from a vision to a reality.

“Ten years ago, then-head coach Maura Waters-Ballard approached us and asked if we could help raise money towards the building of a golf training facility. However, after the project took on expanded costs, it was put on hold,” Kaplan said. “The Class of 1957 met with several athletic directors over the years and our interest of providing some type of golf facility never wavered, and in 2018, Pat Hobbs gave approval for the present indoor training center. We are proud of our efforts and contributions that made the Class of 1957 Golf Training Facility a reality.”

Additional passionate donors also made the training center possible. Marge (NCAS ’71) and George Derrick contributed to the naming of the putting room inside the facility, while Mike (RC’ 75) and Jean MacDonald donated a recognition wall for the golf programs’ successes over the years, which includes their son, golf letterwinner and four-time team MVP Ryan MacDonald (1998-01).

“George and I have always believed that sports complement classroom education,” Marge Derrick said. “Sports participation enables the student to learn skills that will benefit his or her future life experience. When we heard about the golf practice facility project, it was a natural fit for us to contribute. George is an avid golfer and part of the golf community that embraced technology early on in its use in understanding and improving one’s golf swing. We were thrilled to be able to assist in bringing the project to fruition.”

Other benefactors towards the project include men’s basketball head coach Steve Pikiell and his wife, Kathryn, Mark and Trish Hansen, Russell Bershad (CLAW ’77) and Sharon Wynn (CLAW ’78) and Don (RC ’69) and Penny Pray (DC ‘70). Additionally, proceeds toward the project from prior year Manasquan River Golf Outings were led by the generous leadership of Andy Sisti RC’76, Rich Stanzione RC’67 and Paul Magno RC’83.

“We are delighted to support the new indoor golf facility inside the College Avenue Gym to create indoor practice opportunities for our men’s and women’s golf teams,” said Don and Penny Pray. “Both teams have outstanding student-athletes who excel in the classroom and have significantly improved their respective national rankings on the course. These facility improvements recognize the growth and success of both programs, their outstanding coaches and the bright future ahead.”

The indoor facility will help both teams as they continue their improvements within the Big Ten Conference.

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights men’s golf team at Fiddlers Elbow Golf Club in Bedminster, NJ on October 22, 2020.
(Ben Solomon/Rutgers Athletics)

Coming off arguably one of the best seasons in program history under 2020 Division I Northeast Coach of the Year Rob Shutte, men’s golf finished 86th out of the 294 Division I teams nationally, according to GolfStat, and 79th in the country according to Golf Week. The final GolfStat ranking was the seventh-best team result in the Big Ten Conference, as Rutgers closed the regular season in the top half of the league rankings for the first time since joining in 2014. The Scarlet Knights' 288.74 scoring average was a program record.

Gotterup has become one of the top individuals in the country, as he wrapped up his junior season by being named the 2020 Big Ten Player of the Year back in May. The Little Silver, New Jersey, native also earned GCAA All-America honors, first team All-Big Ten recognition and was the winner of the Les Bolstad Award, given to the individual with the lowest season stroke in the conference.

The women’s golf team returns six student-athletes from last year's squad that produced the second-lowest team scoring average in program history at 300.85 before the 2019-20 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the top academic teams in the country, the Scarlet Knights were recognized as a Top 25 academic program by the WGCA for the fourth consecutive year and earned public recognition for its perfect 1,000 multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) score in the latest report from the NCAA. Since compilation of data began in 2004-05, Rutgers has garnered public recognition for its APR score nine times and has produced a perfect 1,000 the past seven seasons.

A list of leadership financial contributors to the project can be found below. Rutgers Athletics and its student-athletes cannot thank this group and our many golf donors enough for making this facility possible and our program successful.

Rutgers Class of 1957
Margaret T. Derrick (NCAS ’71) & George Derrick

Russell B. Bershad (CLAW ’77) & Sharon L. Wynn (CLAW ’78)
Mark & Patricia Hansen
Michael C. MacDonald (RC ’75) and Jean A. MacDonald
Donald Pray (RC ’69) and Penelope Bragg Pray (DC ’70)

John C. Huss (RC’57)
Gary W. Gerold (PHAR ’78) & Carol S. Gerold (PHAR ’78)
Harold J. Kaplan (RC ’57) & Rosalind Kaplan
Paul J. Magno (RC ’83) & Dana L. Magno
Danaka B. Olsen (RC’ 02)* & Peter Olsen (RC ‘00)
Stephen & Kathryn Pikiell
Adam G. Rabinowitz, Esq. (RC ’95)*
Andy Sisti (RC ’76) & Andrea Sisti
Richard D. Stanzione (RC ’67)
Edward & Randy Stevenson of Gilbane Building Company
Brian M. Whitman (RC ’04)* & Suzanne M. Whitman (MGSA ’04)

Jeffery A. Bailey (RC ’84)* & Jacqueline I. Connor-Bailey (PHAR ’85)
William B. Boyle (RC ’80)*
Ronald A. Fuerst (Cook ’87)
Stephanie & Michael Giordano
Joseph F. Hurley III (RC ’72, RBS ’87) & Joanne Hurley (GSNB ’74)
Dr. Richard Hurley (GSNB ’83) & Nancy Hurley
Walter L. Leib (RC ’51, NLAW ’53)
Robert L. Levenstein (RC ’54) & Ann H. Levenstein
Raymond C. Liotta (CC ’76)* & Mary A. Liotta
Robert & Georgia Weise

*Golf Letterwinner

The Golf Training Facility follows many facility enhancements for the Rutgers Athletics Program in the past few years under the leadership of Pat Hobbs, the R Fund and generous supporters. Recent projects include the Marco Battaglia Practice Complex, Hale Center Renovations, RWJBarnabas Health Athletic Performance Center, the Gary and Barbara Rodkin Academic Success Center, the Greg & Anna Brown Football Locker Room, enhancements to the locker rooms in the RAC and the additions of the field hockey and softball locker rooms.