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For his contributions to the tradition and success of the men’s golf program at Nebraska Wesleyan, former golfer and coach, Scott Kasl, is this year’s recipient of the Spirit of the Plainsman Award.
The graduate of Lincoln Southeast High School competed for the Plainsmen from 1976-80 and went on to serve as head coach for eight years from 1986-94. Kasl was also an assistant coach under Neil Baker from 1983-86.
As an athlete, Kasl earned four letters and helped NWU to four consecutive Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NIAC) Championships and a pair of bids to the NCAA Division III Championships. He participated in the national meet all four years, earning at-large individual bids as a junior and senior. His best finish was a tie for 53rd place as a sophomore (341) and a junior (343). As a team, Nebraska Wesleyan placed 17th and 16th, respectively, in 1977 and 1978. The four-year All-Conference golfer claimed runner-up honors at the NIAC Championships twice and placed third as senior.
After capping his collegiate playing career in 1980, Kasl returned to campus in the fall of 1983 to serve as an assistant coach under Baker. During that three-season span, NWU placed seventh at the NCAA meet in both 1984 and 1985 and took 14th in 1986. Kasl then replaced Baker at the start of the 1986-87 season and went on lead his team to an 18th-place finish at the NCAA Div. III Championships.
Throughout his tenure, Kasl helped shape the NWU men’s golf program into one of the most respected programs in the nation. Kasl’s teams were consistently ranked in the Top 20 poll for Division III, qualified for seven NCAA national tournaments and appeared in six NAIA national tournaments. They also recorded six consecutive NIAC titles. In 1994, the Plainsmen placed fifth at the NCAA Div. III Championships, which was Nebraska Wesleyan’s highest team finish at that time.
Kasl coached a pair of All-American athletes, including two-time honorees Mike Higgins (1987-88) and Ryan Knispel (1992, 1994). He also earned some awards of his own, being named Conference and District Coach of the Year every season from 1989-94. In addition, he received recognition as the NCAA District 5 Coach of the Year in 1994.
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