NAU's Bedortha Named Golf Coach of the Year
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OGDEN, Utah (April 30, 2013) - Northern Arizona’s Brad Bedortha has been selected by his peers as the 2012-13 Big Sky Conference Golf Coach of the Year.
Bedortha guided Northern Arizona to the program’s seventh Big Sky Championship at the Ocotillo Golf Resort in Chandler, Ariz., last week. Bedortha has won two Big Sky Championships and been named the Big Sky Coach of the Year twice in his five full seasons with the Lumberjacks.
Northern Arizona shot rounds of 299, 293 and 290 for a 54-hole total of 882 to win the championship by four shots over Portland State.
“I am honored to be named the Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year,’’ said Bedortha, who also won the award in 2009. “It is a testament to our team for how well we have done all season, capped off by winning the conference championship. I couldn’t be prouder of them, and I’m excited that we get to compete at the NCAA West Regional.’’
The Lumberjacks played in nine regular-season tournaments, winning the Rio Verde Invitational hosted by Western Michigan. Northern Arizona averaged a league-best 305.19 strokes per round. NAU is ranked 98th in the nation in this week’s Golfweek rankings.
Northern Arizona fired three of five lowest rounds in school history this spring. NAU shot a 286 – one shy of the school record – during the second round of the Mountain View Collegiate. The Lumberjacks also shot a 288 at the Rio Verde Invitational, and a 289 in the first round of the Mountain View Collegiate.
Lumberjack junior Kaitlen Parsons finished tied for second at the Big Sky Championship. Sophomore Darian Spivey tied for ninth, while senior Stephanie Kim was 11th. Freshman Savana Bezdicek was 22nd, and sophomore Susana Mejia was 35th.
Bezdicek was named the Big Sky Freshman of the Year, and earned First Team All-Conference honors, along with Kim. Parsons was named to the Second Team.
Bedortha took over the Northern Arizona program in March of 2008. The Oregon native spent the previous eight years as the men’s and women’s coach at Division II Ferris State University in Michigan.
Northern Arizona will represent the Big Sky Conference in the NCAA West Regional May 9-11 at Stanford.