NORTH PLAINS, Ore.—Lewis & Clark College men's golf is set to close out their season this weekend, when they compete in the Northwest Conference Championship. The River Otters head into the third and final NWC tournament of the season looking to put together their most complete performance thus far. 
 
This weekend's tournament will take place on April 19-20 at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club. Tee times are set for 9:00 a.m. shotgun starts on both Sunday and Monday. Fans can follow along with the live results link. 
 
NORTHWEST CONFERENCE MID-SEASON POLL 
 
The River Otters were picked to finish seventh in the NWC Mid-Season Coaches' Poll, after placing seventh overall at the NWC Fall Classic. They received 24 points to finish just behind sixth-place George Fox (29 points).
 
Willamette University, who the NWC Fall Classic, finished first in the poll with 64 points and eight first-place votes. Whitman University (one first-place vote) was tabbed to finish second with 55 points. Linfield University (49), Whitworth University (41) and Pacific Lutheran University (37) rounded out the top-five. 
 
The River Otters are coming off their best season finish since the 2016-17 season. Lewis & Clark placed seventh at the NWC Fall Classic in 2024, fourth at the NWC Spring Classic and tied for fifth at the NWC Championship, to come in sixth place overall in the NWC standings.   
 
RECAPPING THE NWC FALL CLASSIC 
 
Lewis & Clark finished in seventh place at the NWC Fall Classic in October. They were sitting in a tie for fifth after Day One at the Lake Oswego Country Club, but dipped to seventh after Day Two. The River Otters shot a two-day score of 606 (+38), to finish just behind Linfield (+25), Pacific Lutheran (+26), Whitworth (+28) and George Fox (+34). Willamette won the NWC Fall Classic with a score of +9, with Whitman just behind them in second place (+18). 
 
Sophomore Mason Hill led Lewis & Clark by finishing in a tie for 16^th. He posted a two-day total of 149 (+7), including shooting a 72 (+1) on Day Two. Junior Luke Blankinship placed second on the team and tied for 23^rdoverall. He shot a 72 (+1) on Sunday and carded a 151 (+9) across the two days. 
 
Sophomore Joonho Moon and junior Kenji Pickeral tied for 30^th in the field with a score of 153 (+11). Moon notched a 70 (-1) in Round One and Pickeral shaved off one stroke from Day One to Day Two. Senior Millen Mistry placed 44^th with a two-day total of 166 (+24). 
 
RECAPPING THE NWC SPRING CLASSIC
 
Lewis & Clark started off strong again at the NWC Spring Classic, but ultimately placed tied for sixth. The River Otters ranked as high as first place midway through Day One and finished the day tied for third overall (+13). Men's golf posted a score of +23 on Sunday to finish with a two-day score of 604 (+36). 
 
Red-hot Linfield won the NWC Spring Classic with a score of 579 (+11). Whitman (+19), George Fox (+27), Willamette (+30) and Pacific Lutheran (+33) finished second through fifth at the event. 
 
Sophomore Charlie Hageman made his NWC season debut and led the team with a tied for fifth-place finish. Hageman carded a 145 (+3) and shot a 71 (Even) in Round Two. He moved up eight spots on Day Two to finish in a tie for fifth place at the NWC Spring Classic for a second-straight season. Moon carded a 151 (+9) to finish in a tie for 17^th. The sophomore carded a 71 (Even) on Day One. 
 
Blankinship placed tied for 22^nd with a score of 152 (+10). He turned in a pair of rounds in the mid-70s, including a 74 (+3) on Saturday. Hill came in fourth on the team and tied for 36^th overall. He posted a two-day score of 156 (+14). First year Trae Fredrickson made his NWC event debut at the NWC Spring Classic. He finished in 45^th place with a score of 169 (+27). 
 
WHERE THEY STAND 
 
Lewis & Clark enters the final tournament of the season sitting in seventh place in the team standings but within striking distance of a top-four finish. The River Otters have posted 1,210 strokes across their first two tournaments and the conference standings are based off a team's total aggregate score. Pacific Lutheran (1,195), George Fox University (1,197) and Whitworth (1,201) sit just ahead of men's golf after two tournaments. 
 
The race for first place is likely to come down to three teams. Linfield (1,172), Whitman (1,173) and Willamette (1,175) are separated by just three strokes after 72 holes. Willamette (2024-25) and Whitman (2023-24) have won the past two NWC Titles. On the flip side, Linfield has won two of the past three tournaments, including winning last year's NWC Championship Tournament. 
 
Lewis & Clark will feature their third tournament lineup of the year this weekend. Blankinship, Moon and Hill will all be playing in their third-straight tournament. Hageman returns for his second tournament of the year, after leading the team at the NWC Spring Classic. Sophomore Tanner Moody will be making his NWC season debut and playing in an NWC event for the first time since the 2024 NWC Fall Classic. This group is statistically the top-five players on the team, with all four players averaging 74.93 per round (+3) or better.  
 
THREE THINGS TO KNOW 

1. Lewis & Clark is hoping to post their first top-five finish in the NWC Standings since the 2016-17 season. Men's golf placed fifth that season and it's the program's best finish in the conference standings since at least 2010.
2. The River Otters are hoping to place their first student-athlete on the NWC All-Conference Team since the 2016-17 season. In 2016-17, senior Drew Groshong and sophomore Robert Wang each earned spots on the NWC First Team. The All-Conference Team is determined by golfer's finishes at each of the three NWC events. The top-12 finishers at each event earn points, with the winner taking 12 points, descending all the way to the 12^th-place finisher picking up one point. The points are doubled for the final event of the year - with the winner earning 24 total points. Hageman enters the weekend as the lone River Otter to have finished top-12 in an NWC event this year, after his tied for fifth-place finish at the NWC Spring Classic (six points). 
3. Men's golf is looking to put it all together at their final event of the season. Thus far this year, they have posted their two-worst team scores (+36 and +38) in the two NWC events. Lewis & Clark has put together a pair of strong Day One totals (295 (+11) and 297 (+13)), but have tacked on at least 10 strokes on Day Two both times. The River Otters have finished strong in most of their other tournaments this Spring, including shooting a 285 (+1) on Day Two of the Willamette Valley Cup.