PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers men's golf wrapped up one of their most successful seasons to date last month and capped the careers of three incredible Scarlet Knights.
Fifth-year co-captains
Xavier Marcoux and
Luke Wells along with senior
Rhett Sellers finished their Rutgers journey but their impact on the program will last much longer.
All three players were awarded postseason honors making the Golf Coaches Association of America's All-PING Northeast team. Rutgers was named the No. 1 team in the northeast region as a whole for the second-straight season and for the third time in four years.
"I'm very proud of this group of guys," men's golf's head coach
Rob Shutte said. "
Luke Wells played in 40 tournaments for us. He never missed a start in his time here. Xavier (Marcoux) just played in 46 tournaments, setting a program record. Then Rhett (Sellers), who has played in 39 tournaments, which is also an incredible amount of experience in those guys finishing up their careers. I'm very appreciative of what they've done for the program. All those guys made their marks."
The Scarlet Knights competed in 12 events over the fall and spring, finishing in the top half of teams eight times, and finishing top-10 all but once. Individually, Rutgers had a top-10 golfer five times, including three-straight finishes from Marcoux. Fifth place was the highest placement for any Scarlet Knight, achieved by Wells in the Chicago Highlands Invitational and Marcoux in the Palmas del Mar Collegiate.
Rutgers' best event this season was the Colleton River Collegiate where they posted the best round in program history. In round three, they shot 272 (-16) the best team round by three strokes. Their team's round of 272 was the second-best score in program history, and the tournament total of 841 is the seventh-best in program history.
The Scarlet Knights also hosted the second annual Johnnie-O at Sea Island in St. Simons Island, Georgia. Rutgers was able to complete one of their long-lasting goals in the Shutte-Era of beating perennial Big Ten foe and national contender Illinois. Thanks to top-20 finishes from
Weston Jones and Sellers, Rutgers was able to pull away late in the final holes of round three to beat Illinois by three strokes for the first time in program history.
Rutgers ended their season at the Big Ten Championships in harsh conditions but did not go down without a punch. They had their highest placement since 2019 with a seventh-place tie out of the 14 Big Ten Teams. This is only the second time they ever finished in the top half of teams and the only time all five golfers finished in the top-40.
Shutte is thankful for the contributions and the foundation built by his upperclassmen, and is excited for the future.
"As sad as you are to see the guys go, it's exciting. I've been doing this for 20 years, 14 or so here at Rutgers. It's exciting to just have new leadership. People have new opportunities. We'll return Weston (Jones) and Martin (Leon) and some guys with experience. We got
Noah Kumar back, returning another PING all-region player last year for us. Those freshmen grow up and become sophomores and you got a bunch of talented freshmen. It's exciting every time you get to fall and the band's playing. There's excitement in the air and that's where it will be with a lot of new faces and a whole new dynamic to the team and the leadership. As a coach, it's sad to see the guys go, but it's always exciting to have a rebirth. New beginnings, a new schedule, and new challenges that must be overcome. We're super excited about the future."
Marcoux was a fifth-year senior who spent his entire career On the Banks. He's a three-year team captain and started every event during his tenure. He won the 2022 Old Town Collegiate and was awarded Big Ten Men's Golfer of the Week. He was named to the 2021-22 PING All-Region Team and was a U.S. Amateur Participant in both 2020 and 2021, making the Round of 32 in 2021. He's a two-time Academic All-Big Ten recipient along with being named the 2021 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar. Marcoux was also just awarded this year's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
"Yeah, it was a little bittersweet," Marcoux said. "I think mentally I kind of prepared myself for it. I've been here for so long it feels so much like home. All my five years here have been awesome. I can't thank Coach (Shutte) or anyone else enough for the time that I've had here. I kind of look forward to representing the R in the future in professional golf and have it in my bag. I think the future is bright."
Marcoux will join the ranks of former Rutgers golfer Chris Gotterup and try his luck on the professional circuit. He will be playing in the PGA Tour America's Q School this month in hopes of becoming a professional golfer.
Luke Wells is another fifth-year senior who transferred from Butler University after his freshman year. He was a three-year team captain and started every event during his tenure at Rutgers. He is a three-time PING All-Region Team winner along with a four-time Big Ten Championship starter.
Wells finished third at the 2022 Monroe Invitational, his highest finish on the banks.
"It's been a lot of fun," Wells said. "It's been a blast to compete with them for three-and-a-half years. It feels like it's been a lot of iron sharpening iron. I can accredit them to a lot of fun battles and fun experiences on and off the golf course." Wells is graduating with a Master of Science in Supply Chain Management and hopes to stay in the New York City area.
Rhett Sellers was a four-year starter for Rutgers since coming in as a true freshman. He's a four-time Big Ten Championship starter and two-time U.S. Amateur Participant in 2021 and 2022. He has three top-10 finishes in his career and was listed as a 2022-23 Big Ten Player to Watch. He will transition to the next step in his golfing career next year as an assistant professional at the Plainfield Country Club.
