DEFIANCE, OHIO -- Junior Todd Mieske (Owosso, Mich./Owosso) and sophomore Cameron Ruge (Coldwater, Mich./Coldwater) both shot sub-par rounds to lead the Trine University men's golf team to its second-straight tournament championship with a victory at the Jon P. Spiess Memorial Tournament at Ironwood Golf Club in Wauseon, Ohio.
Trine shot an overall team score of 293 strokes to take the team trophy and finished nine shots ahead of second place Lourdes (Ohio) University who posted a score of 302 strokes. Host school Defiance College finished in third place with an 18-hole total of 306 strokes.
Mieske finished with a three-under 69 to lead the Thunder on the par-72, 6,164-yard course layout and placed second overall in a field of 65 golfers. Ruge finished two strokes back of Mieske for a one-under round of 71 and was third overall.
Trine had one other player finish in the top-10 in freshman Jacob Black (Defiance, Ohio/Trinity) who carded a round of 75 strokes and placed in a three-way tie for seventh place.
Junior Grant Brettnacher (Lafayette, Ind./Harrison) was fourth on the team with 78 strokes and sophomore Carlos Coeto (Bernardo, Mexico) rounded out the field of team qualifying scores with 78 strokes.
In addition, the Thunder had several additional players competing in the event that included senior Spencer Graf (Granger, Ind./Penn) who finished with an even 80 strokes and was followed by junior Austin Miller (Kokomo, Ind./Northwestern) with a tournament score of 81 strokes.
Sophomore J.T. Uhls (Shelbyville, Ind./Shelbyville) shot a single-round of 88 strokes and freshman Keegan Dwyer (Coldwater, Mich./Coldwater) finished one stroke back with a score of 89 strokes.
Freshman Bryce Cunningham (Kokomo, Ind./Northwestern) completed the list of Trine competitors with a score of 98 strokes.
Trine will next set its sights on the first Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association event of the season with the MIAA Jamboree #1 hosted by Olivet (Mich.) College at the Bedford Valley Golf Club in Battle Creek, Mich. tomorrow (Wednesday, Sept. 12). The single, 18-hole round is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.