Disc Golf Champions Soak Up the Fun in Celebratory Plunge

The chill of winter was still lingering on the waters of Clarks Hill Lake when two new champions emerged from the National Collegiate Disc Golf Championship. Despite the icy temperatures, Ferris State University's Bulldogs and Southern Arkansas University's Muleriders couldn't wait to take a celebratory plunge after their impressive wins.

Ferris State's fifth-year student Sam Mrdeza was overjoyed to become the first player to participate on three Championship Flight title teams, an achievement that had been on his mind since the opening round. "It seemed impossible because it had never been done before," he said, "but somehow the stars lined up and it happened again."

The Bulldogs took a two-shot lead over North Carolina State into the final round and maintained their momentum throughout the day. Mrdeza's teammate Ryan Brophy played a crucial role in setting up the team's success on hole 1, while Mrdeza himself helped secure a birdie opportunity that Patrick Nemmer converted with authority.

Ferris State joins Augusta University as one of only three teams to have won the Championship Flight title three times. Brophy has now collected three NCDGC titles, including two from the Championship Flight and one in First Flight play. Mrdeza expressed his excitement about commemorating their achievement with special rings, saying "I think I'm still kinda processing it...After we won the second time I kinda thought about that: 'Well, that's a possibility that I could be three-time.'"

In Women's Flight action, Southern Arkansas University's Muleriders emerged victorious after four days of intense competition. The team's impressive performance was led by junior Madi Chitwood, who also claimed the women's individual title. "It's not hit us yet that we won Nationals," she said, still in a state of disbelief.

Chitwood had to overcome a bogey on hole 1, but quickly regained her composure and carded an impressive score throughout the round. She attributed her success to her teammate Whitney Brown and expressed her excitement about using their championship status to promote women's disc golf at Southern Arkansas University.

The duo plans to hold a clinic to raise awareness of the sport and encourage more women to participate. "We both started out playing with our boyfriends that were on the team, but whenever you play with a bunch of guys you get down on yourself," Chitwood said. "It's really important to have other women around to practice with."

In individual Championship Flight action, Missouri S&T senior Mark Anderson pulled off an impressive comeback to take home the victory. Anderson used a hot final 9 to leapfrog Ferris State's Sam Mrdeza and claim the top spot.

"I was just beyond expectation," Anderson said about his win. He credited his teammates for their support and preparation, which included drawing up a game plan for the final 9 holes. "We went through a couple of those holes and we actually drew up a strategy...I think we said it would take a neg-four to win."

Anderson's achievement marked an exciting conclusion to the National Collegiate Disc Golf Championship, as teams and individuals alike celebrated their victories with a well-deserved dip in Clarks Hill Lake.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/triple-double