Division III Week Student Spotlight – Drew Mathers
This week is NCAA Division III Week and member institutions across the country are celebrating the ninth-year event.
Division III Week is intended to recognize the academic and athletic accomplishments as well as the campus leadership and community service efforts of Division III student-athletes.
As part of Huntingdon College's participation in Division III Week, student-athletes will be featured this week. Addison Genard and Drew Mathers are today's featured student-athletes.
By Adam Mann
Sports Information Assistant
Name: Drew Mathers
Year: Senior
Hometown: Mobile, Ala.
Major: Business Administration
Sport: Men's Golf
Athletic Accomplishments: Mathers is a first-team All-American and two-time first-team All-Region selection for the Huntingdon men's golf team. As a junior, he was named the USA South Athletic Conference Golfer of the Year, was a finalist for the Division III Jack Nicklaus Award, placed third in the NCAA Tournament and was named the Huntingdon College Male Student-Athlete of the Year. That season he set multiple NCAA-era records for the program, including season scoring average, wins in a season and rounds of par or better, and helped lead the Hawks to their first USA South Tournament title and a second-place finish in the NCAA Tournament. Mathers was ranked No. 1 in Division III for much of the 2019-20 season and was the only Division III golfer named to the Ben Hogan Award watch list. During the shortened season, Mathers averaged 69.29 in 17 rounds, which was on pace to break the Hawks' NCAA-era record (71.18) that he set as a junior. He shot 13 rounds of par or better, including eight rounds in the 60s. Four of those rounds rank in the top-six for Huntingdon during the NCAA era. After setting the program's NCAA-era record for 72 holes as a junior, he twice tied the program's NCAA-era single-round record of 64 this season and set the program's NCAA-era record for 36 holes and 54 holes. Huntingdon's NCAA-era career leader in wins (six), he placed in the top-three in 10 of his last 12 tournaments (five wins, four second-place finishes and one third place finish).
Academic Achievements and Campus Activities: Mathers has been named to the Dean's List, is an All-American Scholar and has been a USA South Academic All-Conference selection each season. He has also served as a Huntingdon Ambassador.
What made you feel like Huntingdon was the right place for you? "I liked the size of the school and I knew I would be able to focus on academics while also playing golf."
With the COVID-19 pandemic changing the world we live in, what have you learned about the compassion and resiliency of your friends, family and classmates? "This tough time has shown me how important it is to keep your friends and family close. At a school like Huntingdon, we are a family that will always stay close to each other."
If you could offer one piece of encouragement at this time to your friends, family and classmates, what would it be? "I would tell them that this tough time we are going through will pass. It is important to keep your faith during a time like this."
What advice would you give our current underclassmen and incoming recruits to better prepare them for the next few years? "It may be an adjustment to get used to the college life, but Huntingdon makes the transition very easy."
How has your experience at Huntingdon prepared you for life after Huntingdon? "My experience at Huntingdon has prepared me for the real world because of our caring teachers and faculty."