Favorite story:

The Louisiana Classic – my first story with the Daily Illini sports desk.

Best game I covered:

The Big Ten Tournament – the men’s golf team had a great performance. They really showed the conference they could be right there at the top and it was exciting to see the season build up to that point.

Most challenging story:

The Boilermaker Invitational – it was the last tournament before the Big Ten and the team came in sixth after two back-to-back tournaments. It was tough to see because they were playing so well.

Play of the year:

Scott Langley’s performance in the Big Ten Tournament – two eagles and finishing fourth in the Big Ten as a freshman under immense pressure. He played like a pro.

Best quote:

Assistant coach Zach Guthrie, after the Big Ten Tournament:

“He played the last two round with two big players, one of them was Michigan State’s Ryan Brehm. Scott would have to hit a shot from 100 out to get people to clap, while Ryan could putt it ten feet and there would just be a roar. He had the Big Ten network following him around all weekend. Scott dealt with all this added pressure and still finished fourth in the Big Ten. That’s really a testament to all of his hard work.”

Best interview:

Talking to Coach Guthrie after the Big Ten Tournament. The excitement over the team’s performance under pressure was evident.

Most telling off-the-field moment:

Just in general, all of the players speak highly of the others. Golf can be a very individualized sport, and especially with this year when seven guys were gunning for five lineup spots, ultimately, all of them respected each other and wanted the best for each other.