YOUNG, LINDSTROM HONORED AT NATIONAL GOLF BANQUET

Alex Lindstrom (left) was named the Phil Mickelson NJCAA National Freshman of the Year and Chris Young (right) was inducted into the NJCAA Coaches Association Hall of Fame on Monday night. (Steve Carpenter/Blue Dragon Sports Information)
Alex Lindstrom (left) was named the Phil Mickelson NJCAA National Freshman of the Year and Chris Young (right) was inducted into the NJCAA Coaches Association Hall of Fame on Monday night. (Steve Carpenter/Blue Dragon Sports Information)
May 15, 2023

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

NEWTON – The No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College men's golf team earned several honors on Monday night at the NJCAA Division I National Golf Banquet.

Veteran head coach Chris Young and freshman Alex Lindstrom highlighted the night of honors for the Blue Dragons.

Young was inducted into the NJCAA Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Lindstrom was named the Phil Mickelson NJCAA National Freshman of the Year.

Now in his 23rd season with the Blue Dragons, Young

The two-time defending national champion Blue Dragons start their run at a third national title early Tuesday morning at Sand Creek Station in Newton.

Through his first 23 seasons with the Blue Dragons, Young's accomplishments include:
+ 22 consecutive NJCAA Tournament appearances;
+ 11 Jayhawk Conference team championships (2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023);
+ 9 Region VI team championships (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2022);
+ 3 District III team championship (2007, 2009, 2021);
+ 2 NJCAA National Championships;
+ 1 NJCAA Individual National Champion;
+ 2 NJCAA Individual National Runners-Up;
+ 1 Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year winner;
+ 3 Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year finalist;
+ 3 Phil Mickelson National Outstanding Freshman Award winners;
+ 4 Phil Mickelson National Freshman of the Year finalists;
+ 15 NJCAA All-Americans;
+ 16 PING/NJCAA All-Americans;
+ 10 Jayhawk Conference individual league champions;
+ 8 Region VI individual champions;
+ 4 District III individual champion;
+ 10 NJCAA Tournament Top 10 national placings.

Young was introduced by former Dodge City head coach Casey Malek on Monday evening. The Blue Dragon head coach was also named the Central District Coach of the Year.

Lindstrom, a native of Halmstad, Sweden, is the third Blue Dragon to win Mickelson Freshman of the Year award. Lindstrom joins Charlie Crocket (2019) and Ben Partridge (2021) as Blue Dragon players to earn the Mickelson Award.

Lindstrom recorded Top-11 finishes in all seven spring tournaments, collecting individual wins at KJCCC No. 2 and the KJCCC Championship to become the fourth-straight Blue Dragon to win the Jayhawk Conference Individual Champion award.

Joining Lindstrom on the Golf Coaches' Association of America NJCAA 2023 all-Freshman team are Gaspar Glaudas of Indian Hills, Travis Robbie of New Mexico JC, Adam Vermut of Eastern Florida State, and Thomas Vestergaard of Midland.

Lindstrom and sophomores Dominic Clemons and Blake Saffell were all named to the 2023 all-Central District team.

Clemons and Lindstrom were named GCAA PING All-Americans as first-team selections. Saffell was an honorable mention PING All-Americans.

Since 2019, the Blue Dragons have had 11 PING All-Americans.