Cullowhee, N.C. – Opening the spring schedule with a career-best finish in Mexico, Western Carolina freshman Chase Cline was today named the Southern Conference Men's Golfer of the Week, the first of the spring championship season. The SoCon's weekly award winners are selected by the conference office from nominations submitted by the sports information or media relations personnel at each institution.
 
Cline collects the second weekly honor for the Catamounts in 2024-25 as junior teammate Ivan Ninkovic was recognized back in mid-September following the home JT Poston Invitational in its new home, the Waynesville Inn & Golf Club. Cline is the 12th different Catamount since 2005 to earn weekly league honors with his first plaudit in his young collegiate career.
 
Carding his second-best, 54-hole score at 212, Cline led a resurgent Catamount squad to a seventh-place finish at the Los Vaqueros Intercollegiate, hosted by the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) at the par-72, 6,701-yard Iberostar Playa Paraiso Golf Club. WCU rallied from 14th after the opening round, struggling through the opening nine holes in the first competitive action since late October 2024. Cline shot even-par 72 over the first 18 holes before carding consecutive rounds of 2-under par 70 to climb into the runner-up position.

Cline bested a pair of nationally ranked individuals for SMU who ranked 34th and 48th in the national rankings and who finished tied for seventh overall. Cline posted a team-best 13 birdies – a mark that tied for the third-most overall – and was one of just 12 golfers in the field to card an eagle. He also led the 90-golfer tournament field in par-5 scoring (4.42).
 
Western Carolina men's golf returns stateside for the remainder of its spring schedule, next traveling south to the Big Easy – New Orleans, La. – for the Gulf Coast Collegiate, hosted by the University of New Orleans at the English Turn Golf Club. The three-round, two-day event is slated for Feb. 24-25.
 
Keep track of everything related to Catamount men's golf and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), Instagram (@wcu_catamounts), and Twitter (@catamounts, @CatamountMGolf). 
 
WCU's All-Time SoCon Men's Golfers of the Week (since 2005):
Chase Cline – Feb. 5, 2025
Ivan Ninkovic – Sept. 24, 2024
Magnus Pedersen – Sept. 13, 2023
Presten Richardson – Feb. 16, 2022
Magnus Pedersen – March 17, 2021
Pierre Viallaneix – March 4, 2020
Pierre Viallaneix – Oct. 2, 2019
Louis Theys – March 20, 2019
Jackson Bishop – April 4, 2018
JT Poston – April 15, 2015
JT Poston – April 1, 2015
JT Poston – Feb. 25, 2015
JT Poston – March 12, 2014
Tanner Briele – March 4, 2009
Andres Cuenca – April 4, 2007
Matt Cook – April 12, 2006
Matt Cook – April 5, 2006
Trip Morrow – March 29, 2006
Trip Morrow – April 6, 2005