By: Evan O'Kelly, Director of Communications
MSUB SPORTS – The Yellowjacket men's golf all-decade squad is highlighted by some of the program's top all-time players who rose into the top tier of competitors within the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
The all-decade team represents a string of players who captained their respective teams throughout the 2010s, and is filled with award winners and postseason participants.
This Week's Schedule
| Day |
Release |
| Monday, October 19, 2020 |
No. 5 Golfer |
| Tuesday, October 20, 2020 |
No. 4 Golfer |
| Wednesday, October 21, 2020 |
No. 3 Golfer |
| Thursday, October 22, 2020 |
No. 2 Golfer |
| Friday, October 23, 2020 |
No. 1 Golfer & Full Roster |
"The best memories that I have had from coaching in this decade is the overall improvement that our men's program has made since I have been a part of the coaching staff. Each year we continue to accomplish great things as a team and with individual performances. It's exciting to see the hard work from the players pay off and I look forward to that continued success." –
Jeff Allen, third-year MSUB head golf coach.
"I really enjoyed my two interim MSUB golf coaching opportunities and we enjoyed several excellent team and individual performances. The first time I was only the women's golf coach and the second time I coached both the women's and men's teams. Initially, I thought it was going to be only for a few months, however both times it turned into longer because I really enjoyed working with the players so much. I have always enjoyed coaching an individual based sport in addition to a team based one. I was fortunate to work with a lot of great golfers and student-athletes at MSUB. I am excited about the program's future and Jeff and his staff are doing an awesome job. Regarding memories, sweeping RMC the first year at the Spalding and Grob cups was sure exciting. Our men weren't expected to win that year but they really stepped up and our women dominated RMC. All of the GNAC league tournaments I was a part of were memorable as the course in Coeur d' Alene is so breathtaking and our teams rarely travel together except for that event. The opportunity to travel and play many amazing courses while spending time as a team is very rewarding and I really enjoyed seeing a player improve and get closer to reaching his or her potential on the course." –
Kevin Woodin, MSUB golf coach 2008-09, 2015-18 and current Yellowjacket women's basketball head coach.
Team Composition
The men's golf all-decade team features a realistic tournament lineup of five players, two alternates, and three honorable mention selections. The top-five players were ranked in order based on career achievements.
Yellowjacket Men's Golf 2010-19 All-Decade Team
| Position |
Name |
Playing Years |
| STARTING LINEUP |
| 1 |
Gage Huft |
2011-14 |
| 2 |
Jake Hedge |
2013-15 |
| 3 |
Garrett Woodin |
2016-20 |
| 4 |
Caleb Stetzner |
2016-18 |
| 5 |
Eric Gravbrot |
2011-13 |
| ALTERNATES |
| 6 |
Connor Miele |
2014-17 |
| 7 |
Michael Porter |
2015-17 |
| HONORABLE MENTION |
| HM |
Caleb Trost |
2017-20 |
| HM |
Austin Westphal |
2013-15 |
| HM |
Marcus Drange |
2011-14 |
The Starting Rotation
No. 1 Position
Gage Huft – Team Captain, Player of the Decade
Hometown: Kimberly, Idaho
Playing Years: 2011-2014 (4 seasons)
The most successful complete body of work during the decade came from Gage Huft, who spent three full seasons and the fall of his senior year with the Yellowjackets from 2011-14. Huft played the third-most rounds in school history with 79, and posted a scoring average of 74.78 strokes per round to rank No. 4 in program history.
Huft's strongest campaign was his sophomore season in 2012-13, when he earned first-team all-GNAC honors after ranking second in the league with a scoring average of 74.1 strokes per round. That marked the highest an MSUB men's player has ever ranked in a season within the GNAC scoring average leaders.
Huft led the Yellowjackets at the GNAC Championships that spring, tying for eighth place and qualifying for the NCAA Super Regional Championships. The first of just two MSUB players to qualify for the NCAA tournament during the 2010s, Huft had an impressive showing as he finished tied for 44th place among a field of 108 golfers at The Home Course in DuPont, Washington.
Huft also set the school record for single-round low score that season, shooting a 7-under-par 64 to win the MSUB Triangular on Oct. 15-16, 2012 at Peter Yegen Golf Club in Billings. Overall in his career Huft was a two-time all-conference pick, and a four-time GNAC Player of the Week as well.
Huft on his fondest MSUB memories: "Creating new friends from all over the country. Traveling with friends on the golf team to tournaments."
Jeff Allen: "I never met Gage but am aware of his legacy at MSUB. We always try to play in the west region preview event every year because it's arguably the best event on our schedule. Knowing that Gage won that event as an individual during his time at MSUB gives our current players motivation and something to strive for."
Where is he now? Huft resides in Twin Falls, Idaho where he is a meter technician for Idaho Power.
No. 2 Position
Jake Hedge
Hometown: Billings, Montana
Playing Years: 2013-2015 (2 seasons)
Feature Story: After Growing Up At Yellowstone Country Club, Jake Hedge Has Become One Of MSUB's Best
One of two Yellowjackets to earn a spot in the NCAA super regional championship during the 2010s decade, Hedge was a standout at his hometown university in his two seasons at MSUB.
Peaking as a senior during the 2014-15 season, Hedge was a first-team all-GNAC selection after ranking fifth in the league with a scoring average of 73.9 strokes per round. That mark stands as the third-lowest single-season average in school history, and Hedge recorded four top-10 finishes, three top-5 finishes, and one win during the season.
After leading the Yellowjackets and placing fifth at the GNAC Championships in 2015, Hedge earned an individual berth into the NCAA West/South Central Super Regional. Hedge finished his career tying for 84th place among the field of 108 competitors on the regional stage. He holds the sixth-best career scoring average at 75.06 strokes per round.
In addition to his success on the course, Hedge stood out in the classroom where he was an academic all-conference pick and a Chi Alpha Sigma National Honor Society member.
Jeff Allen: "It was great that Jake transferred back to MSUB after his time at Wyoming. Having a local player of Jake's caliber play for the 'Jackets gave our in-state players a reason to pursue MSUB. Jake has obviously continued to play well, winning the 2020 Montana State Am."
No. 3 Position
Garrett Woodin
Hometown: Billings, Montana
Playing Years: 2016-Current (5 seasons)
Feature Story: In Montana, Woodin Wins Barnett Memorial By 5 (Brayden Conover/amateurgolf.com - May 26, 2020)
One of the Yellowjackets' most consistent players over the last four years, Woodin will be relied on as the team's captain during his second senior season when the golf season resumes.
Through the first 80 rounds of his career, Woodin holds a scoring average of 75.99 strokes per round which ranks him ninth in school history. The Billings native has improved his scoring average progressively in each season throughout his career, and has been selected as the MSUB Men's Golf Player of the Year in each of the last three seasons at The Buzzies.
Woodin has recorded three top-10 finishes and a pair of top-five finishes through his four seasons, and he has played the second-most rounds of anyone in school history. One of Woodin's top moments came outside of MSUB competition, when he won the Barnett Memorial tournament in Missoula on May 26, with a 9-under-par three-round total of 204.
Woodin has competed in three GNAC Championships events, and holds a career single-round low score of 68 reached at the Western New Mexico Invitational on April 4, 2017.
Woodin on what he's most proud of in his career: "That I've gotten better every year I've been on the team."
Jeff Allen (Woodin's Assistant Coach 2016-18, Head Coach 2018-20): "I've been fortunate to coach Garrett his entire career. He has developed into a great player on our team and in the GNAC. Garrett has a great golfing mind, he has great awareness, and he uses his mental game to his advantage. Having him as a multi-year captain has been great for the future of our program. I'm excited about what Garrett will accomplish in his senior season as a 'Jacket."
Kevin Woodin (Woodin's Head Coach 2016-18): "Garrett's consistency and improvement during his career has been impressive. Garrett earned a top-five spot right away as a freshman and has played in every event since. He is a very talented golfer and has the right demeanor on the course to be successful. I enjoyed coaching Garrett but it has been even more rewarding the last couple of years to enjoy his progress as a golfer and leader from the sideline as a parent."
Where is he now? Woodin has one year of eligibility remaining on the Yellowjacket golf team, and he has plans to pursue a career as a PGA professional upon completing his communications degree.
No. 4 Position
Caleb Stetzner
Hometown: Anaconda, Montana
Playing Years: 2016-2018 (2 seasons)
Feature Story: New Faces: MSUB Golf Freshmen Caleb Stetzner and Garrett Woodin
Stetzner enjoyed two stellar season with the Yellowjackets to open up his collegiate career. In his first year in 2016-17, Stetzner won GNAC Freshman of the Year after leading the team and ranking fifth in the conference with a scoring average of 73.7 strokes per round.
Stetzner had four top-10 finishes that season, and had a low-round score of 67. Stetzner played a key role in MSUB breaking the school single-round team scoring record, as the 'Jackets shot a 269 en route to winning the Battlin' Bear Invitational on Oct. 2-3, 2016.
Stetzner followed with an equally impressive sophomore season, again leading the team in scoring average at 73.4 strokes per round which ranked him fourth in the conference. He was a second-team all-GNAC selection, after posting a pair of top-10 finishes and tying for the team single-round low with a 69. He finished his career with the top scoring average in school history at 73.8 strokes per round over his 49 rounds played.
Kevin Woodin (Stetzner's Head Coach 2016-2018): "Caleb had an outstanding freshman season and to earn freshman of the year in our league is quite an accomplishment. He rarely made mistakes on the course and he was very consistent. I understand why he decided to leave MSUB but had he stayed, I think he would have become one of the best players in school history."
Jeff Allen (Stetzner's Assistant Coach 2016-2018): "Caleb was a great natural talent. He wasn't a bomber so his strength was keeping the ball in play and scoring with his short game which he did very well. He was a very consistent player, and when his short game was on he had the ability to shoot some great scores."
No. 5 Position
Eric Gravbrot
Hometown: Yakima, Washington
Playing Years: 2011-2013 (2 seasons)
Gravbrot competed in 55 rounds for the Yellowjackets in his two seasons from 2011-2013, and he owns the fifth-lowest career scoring average with a mark of 74.8 strokes per round.
Kicking off his collegiate career with a bang, Gravbrot was named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year in the spring of 2012, after leading the Yellowjackets with a season scoring average of 74.36 strokes per round. Gravbrot had five top-10 finishes and four top-five finishes that season, and he finished tied for 14th at the GNAC Championships.
Gravbrot followed with a similarly impressive sophomore campaign, ranking second on the team with a scoring average of 75.26 strokes per round and three more top-10 finishes. He shot a career low round of 64 on Sept. 25, 2012 at the Oredigger Invitational, a mark that still stands as the lowest in school history.
In addition to being named second-team all-GNAC in each of his two seasons at MSUB, Gravbrot was also excellent in the classroom as he was a two-time GNAC Faculty Athletic Representative Scholar Athlete.
Gravbrot on what stood out about his MSUB career: "I thought it was awesome the schedule we had. We got to go and travel to some great courses and play some tough teams."
Where is he now? Gravbrot resides in Phoenix, Arizona where he is a certified flight instructor at AeroGuard Flight Training Center. He has ambitions to fly for an airline, and he still enjoys playing golf.
The Alternates
No. 6 Position
Connor Miele
Hometown: Edmonds, Washington
Playing Years: 2014-2017 (3 seasons)
A key leadership figure during his tenure at MSUB, Miele served as team captain for two seasons in the middle of the decade. Miele was a two-time GNAC Player of the Week, and was selected as the MSUB Men's Golf Player of the Year at the Buzzies his junior season.
One of his top performances was a tie for second place at the Saint Martin's Invitational, as he shot a three-round score of 212. He had another second-place finish his senior year, this time setting both his single-round best (68) and three-round tournament best (206) en route to runner-up placing at the Rocky Mountain College Invitational. Miele capped his career by earning Scholar All-American honors, the only men's player of the decade to do so.
Jeff Allen (Miele's Assistant Coach 2016-17): "Connor had a great work ethic and was a very good captain and leader for our team. He set a great example of how to continually practice and prepare for events and kept the team atmosphere fun, to say the least."
Kevin Woodin (Miele's Head Coach 2015-2017): "Connor was a talented golfer and he was the glue of our men's team during my time at MSUB. He was a great leader and really took the time to get to know his teammates and stress the importance of being a team too. He had a major impact on our program both on and off the course."
No. 7 Position
Michael Porter
Hometown: Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Playing Years: 2015-2017 (2 seasons)
The Yellowjackets benefitted from having Porter's best two collegiate seasons, as he came to the program as a junior transfer from North Idaho College. Porter proceeded to post a career scoring average of 74.6 strokes per round, ranking him third in MSUB history.
Porter had four top-10 finishes during his senior season in 2016-17, and was the team's top finisher at the GNAC Championships as he took 12th place with a three-round score of 223.
Porter on what stood out about his MSUB team: "We were all very close as a group that hung out together on and off the course. Golf can be a very frustrating sport and you can get down on yourself a lot of the time. So it was nice to have a supportive team that could cheer you up after a bad round."
Jeff Allen (Porter's Assistant Coach 2016-17): "Michael was a guy that could shoot the lowest score possible on any given day. Very accurate off the tee and with his irons, and when the putter was rolling he could do great things. He also seemed to play his best golf when the course conditions were at their toughest. Having that 'no-fear' mindset was great to have from a captain."
Kevin Woodin (Porter's Head Coach 2015-17): "Michael was a tremendous golfer while he was at MSUB. You knew his score was going to count, and I remember many occasions where he would get very hot on the course. Michael had two solid years at MSUB."
Where is he now? Porter resides in his home town of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, where he works at a local insurance agency.
Honorable Mention
Caleb Trost
Hometown: Billings, Montana
Playing Years: 2017-20 (3 seasons)
Feature Story: New Faces: MSUB Men's Golf Freshmen Caleb Trost & Riley Kaercher
A current Yellowjacket, Trost has put together a solid first three seasons of his collegiate career and he ranks 11th in school history with a scoring average of 76.31 strokes per round. Trost was MSUB's second-leading scorer as a sophomore in 2018-19, and he was the team's top performer at the GNAC Championships as he tied for 14th place with a score of 221.
Jeff Allen (Trost's Assistant Coach 2017-18, Head Coach 2018-20): "Caleb is fearless, occasionally to a fault. He loves to play the game and has really improved over the last few years. I'm excited about what he can achieve before his career is over."
Kevin Woodin (Trost's Head Coach 2017-18): "I have known Caleb for years and I was fortunate to also coach him in high school his junior year at Billings West. Caleb is a competitor. He knows how to get the ball in the hole and he really enjoys the grind of a good golf round."
Austin Westphal
Hometown: Kennewick, Washington
Playing Years: 2013-2015 (2 seasons)
Like Porter, Westphal was a junior transfer from North Idaho College who took the league by storm upon his arrival. Westphal was named the GNAC Newcomer of the Year in 2013-14, after averaging 75.8 strokes per round. He followed that with a second-team all-GNAC performance in his senior year, as he ranked second on the team behind Hedge with a scoring average of 74.9 strokes per round in 2014-15.
Westphal played in 43 rounds in his two seasons, and his scoring average of 75.3 strokes per round is seventh-best in MSUB history.
Marcus Drange
Hometown: Billings, Montana
Playing Years: 2011-2014 (3 seasons)
Like Westphal, Drange was also a GNAC Newcomer of the Year award winner as he ranked 10th in the league with a scoring average of 75.0 strokes per round in 2011-12. He followed that with two more successful seasons at MSUB, and he sits at No. 10 in MSUB history with a career average of 76.03 strokes per round.
Drange was also a second-team all-conference selection, and continued to have an impact on the program upon graduating and becoming an assistant coach. Drange continues to assist with the Yellowjacket men's and women's programs, and was involved with MSUB golf either as a player or a coach for nine of the 10 years in the 2010s decade.
Jeff Allen (Drange's Co-Coach): "It is nice to see Marcus on this list. Marcus is the type of player who worked really hard to get better, and he saw his hard work pay off. He is still a part of our program as an assistant coach, and has a lot of experience and knowledge that he can provide to our players."
Kevin Woodin (Drange's Co-Coach): "I enjoyed working with Marcus when he helped me as a part-time assistant for both of our golf teams."
Moment of the Decade
May 8, 2013 – Recap | Results | Huft shot a final round score of 3-under-par 69 to vault his way to a tie for 44th among a field of more than 100 competitors at the NCAA West/South Central Regional Championship. It was the best finish by any MSUB men's golfer in the 2010s decade.
Gage Huft took 44th place at the 2013 NCAA Super Regional Championship.
Top Team Rounds
March 18, 2011 – Recap | Results | MSUB won the Yellowjacket Spring Invitational, topping a field of six teams with a two-round score of 596.
September 21, 2012 – Recap | Results | MSUB won the Yellowjacket Fall Invitational, topping a field of eight teams with a two-round score of 594 (313-281). The second-round score of 281 is tied for seventh-best in school history.
October 15, 2012 – Recap | Results | MSUB set a school record for team low round score, shooting a 13-under-par 271 at the MSUB Triangular at Peter Yegen Golf Club.
March 20, 2014 – Recap | Results | MSUB won the single-round Yellowjacket Spring Invitational, topping second-place Rocky Mountain College by nine strokes at Pryor Creek Golf Club.
October 3, 2014 – Recap | Results | The 'Jackets strolled to a 14-stroke victory at the Yellowjacket Fall Invitational, emerging at the top among a field of eight teams.
October 7, 2014 – Recap | Results | MSUB finished in fourth place among a field of 16 teams at the highly-competitive Chico State Invitational.
March 31, 2015 – Recap | Results | The 'Jackets defended their title at the Yellowjacket Spring Invitational, this time topping the field of seven teams by a convincing 16 strokes.
October 9, 2015 – Recap | Results | MSUB won the Yellowjacket Fall Invitational, shooting a 2-over-par 578 (293-285) to beat North Idaho College by 10 strokes.
October 2, 2016 – Recap | Results | MSUB broke the school record for single-round score with a 269, en route to winning the Rocky Mountain College Invitational. The three-round team score of 839 was the second lowest in school history, five strokes off the all-time program record.
March 28, 2017 – Recap | Results | MSUB won its spring invitational by 14 strokes, with a three-round team score of 874 (296-281-297) at Lake Hills Golf Course. The 281 tied for the seventh-lowest team single-round score in school history.
Top Individual Performances
September 21, 2012 – Gage Huft won the Yellowjacket Fall Invitational with a two-round score of 4-under-par 140 (73-67).
September 25, 2012 – Recap | Results | Eric Gravbrot set the school record with a score of 64 at the MSUB Triangular
October 15, 2012 – Gage Huft tied the school record with a score of 64 at the Oredigger Invitational
March 15, 2013 – Recap | Results | In a fitting twist of fate, Huft defeated future Yellowjacket teammate Austin Westphal in a playoff hole for the title at the Yellowjacket Spring Invitational after the two tied for first each with a 148 at Pryor Creek Golf Club. Westphal led North Idaho College to the team title that day, before spending his final two collegiate seasons with the 'Jackets from 2013-15.
April 9, 2013 – Recap | Results | Huft topped a competitive field of 81 players to win the Saint Martin's Invitational with a three-round score of 9-under-par 207 (69-72-66). The three-round total is the fourth lowest in school history.
April 23, 2013 – Recap | Results | Huft (8th) and Gravbrot (10th) each finished in the top-10 at the GNAC Championships, the only time in the decade MSUB had two players finish in the top-10.
March 20, 2014 – Huft picked up another victory, winning the Yellowjacket Spring Invitational by one stroke.
October 3, 2014 – Jake Hedge won a three-man, three-hole playoff which included Huft, to claim the title at the Yellowjacket Fall Invitational.
October 7, 2014 – Austin Berg earned medalist honors by taking fourth place among a field of 84 golfers at the Chico State Invitational. Berg shot a three-round score of 2-under-par 214 (69-72-73).
April 21, 2015 – Recap | Results | Hedge finished tied for fifth place at the GNAC Championships, marking the best finish by an MSUB player at the conference tournament in the decade. Hedge's placing at the event solidified his individual berth into the regional championship.
May 6, 2015 – Recap | Results | Hedge ended his career representing MSUB at the NCAA West/South Central Regional Championship at Hiddenbrooke Golf Course in Vallejo, California. Hedge tied for 84th place among the field of 108 golfers.
September 14, 2015 – Recap | Results | Scott Larson hit a hole-in-one on the very first swing of his collegiate career, at the RMAC #1 Tournament at Heritage Todd Creek Golf Club in Denver.
September 19, 2015 – Recap | Results | Connor Miele tied for second place at the Saint Martin's Invitational among a field of 87 players, with a 1-under-par 212.
October 2-3, 2016 – Austin Walter shot a 65 at the Rocky Mountain College Invitational, one off the school record. Miele came within one stroke of tying the school record, shooting a three-round score of 206 to take second place at the Rocky Mountain College Invitational.
Caleb Stetzner also shot a career-low three-round score of 209 at the event.
September 11, 2018 – Recap | Results | Garrett Woodin and
Caleb Trost each shot a 1-under-par 215 to tie for fourth place at the Yellowjacket Fall Invitational at Lake Hills Golf Course.
The Yellowjackets featured a special team member on the 2011-12 roster, when 62-year-old Clark Swan made the varsity team. Returning to MSUB to complete a history degree that he began 40 years earlier, Swan was a source of inspiration during his season in the Yellowjacket lineup. Swan was a former walk-on for the Eastern Montana College football and golf teams during the 1967 and 1968 seasons.
Feature Story: Clark Swan Finding His Game Again After 40 Years
The Next Decade Of Yellowjacket Golf
As the Yellowjackets await the arrival of the next season of golf, they do so with solid leadership in the form of all-decade selections Woodin and Trost. In addition to the experienced leaders at the top of the roster, the 10-man crew has a cast of talented young players who got a taste of collegiate competition last fall prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Yellowjackets pose in DuPont, Washington during the spring of 2019.
About the All-Decade Project
The top student-athletes from each of Montana State University Billings' current varsity athletic teams from 2010-2019 have been selected, and 14 all-decade teams will be revealed throughout the course of the fall of 2020. Each sport's all-decade team is comprised of the top-performing student-athletes, with weight given to individual athletic achievement and accolades, team achievement, academic achievement, as well as community service. For more information on MSUB's all-decade project, and to view each sport's all-decade teams, view the all-decade project webpage online here.
