Dewald signs with WVU golf program
Fri, 2016-05-27 05:00
News Staff
By TJ MAXWELL
Cove Leader-Press
Just one day removed from helping fulfilling one goal by helping McLennan Community College men’s golf team secure a national title, Copperas Cove alum Drew Dewald signed his way to the next milestone of his career when he committed to play golf for the Division I program of the West Virginia Mountaineers.
During his high school signing ceremony just two short years ago, Dewald talked about some of his goals and atop that list was winning a National Championship as a member of the MCC Highlanders golf team and taking that next leap to the top tier of college golf – Division I.
He did both in a matter of days. Dewald was celebrating his national title with teammates over the weekend the celebrating signing to play golf for the Mountaineers on Monday.
“It’s working out perfect,” Dewald said of his academic and athletic goals. “It’s really exciting, to win a National Championship and sign with a Division I Big 12 in the same week.”
Dewald tied for 14th overall, earning third team All-America honors after finishing -4 under par with a four-round total of 284 (73-72-72-67) as the Highlanders finished -24 under par to take home the title.
Dewald began his junior golf career on a sour note after missing a portion of the season due to a back injury.
He made the most of his time on the links, however, with several top-5 finishes and a few Top 10s in the 30 tournaments played for the Highlanders.
He was a medalist at the 2016 New Mexico Junior College Invitational with a three-day total of 216 (69-71-76). He also placed third at the 2014 Paris Junior College Invitational with a two-day 140 (70-70), fourth at the 2016 NJCAA Southwest Championship with a combined 220 (72-75-73) and fifth at the 2015 Collegiate Amateur Championship with a 135 (64-71). He also finished in the top 10 at the 2014 Amateur, the 2014 Dodge City Shootout and the 2016 NJCAA District Championship
Dewald improved his average by more than four strokes from his freshman to sophomore years. He posted a stroke average of 73.75 as a freshman before averaging 69.5 in his sophomore season for a career average of 72.4.
“Coach Vince Clark at McLennan is a big reason that I’m signing with a DI college. He really helped me development my game as golfer and as a person.”
Dewald was named to the 2016 PING All-District Team by the Golf Coaches Association of America and earned 2016 All-Southwest Conference First Team honors.
“I’m excited to have Drew join our program,” said West Virginia head golf coach Sean Covich, in a press release on the school’s website. “He has continued to improve over his time at McLennan. I really respect coach Vince Clark at McLennan, as he’s had a Hall of Fame career and routinely produces quality golfers that achieve success at the DI level and in the Big 12. I know that Drew brings competitiveness with him. Anytime you play Texas high school football, you know you have to be a competitive person. I look forward to having Drew join us in August, and I can’t wait to get qualifying started for our first event at Kiawah Island on The Ocean Course.”
Covich guided his team through the first season after nearly three decades without golf but a move to the Big 12 ensured Mountaineer golf would return.
“West Virginia had to cut the golf program a while back and last year was their first year playing again,” said Dewald.
That played some what in his decision.
Dewald was among the first to open the floodgates of Copperas Cove golfers to sign to play in college and he hopes to blaze a trail for others to follow collegiately as well.
“Coach Covich told me that I have a chance to be the first for a lot of things instead of going somewhere where they have a storied tradition already established,” he said.
Dewald was a four-time All-District 12-6A and a four-time MVP of the Copperas Cove High School golf team. He also earned academic all-district and all-state honors in high school and graduated in the top-10 percent of his class. He maintained a 3.7 GPA at MCC. Drew is the son of Dustin and Tiffany Dewald of Copperas Cove.