Barton's Bolander and Lambert earn post-season men's golf awards, Bolander garners PING All-District honors #GoBarton

Axel Bolander and Kaleb Lambert of the Barton Community College men's golf team received recognition following their performances in the 2023-24 season.

For Bolander, the Cougars' top golfer throughout the year, finished 6th in the Jayhawk Conference individual standings to earn 2nd Team All-KJCCC honors while also receiving PING All-Central District honors in Division I of the NJCAA.

Presented by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA), the PING award is the fourth Cougar under Head Coach Doug Kaiser recognizing players among the Division I ranks of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). Bolander joins Thitipon Homruen (2018), Jakkapat Horsangchai (2017), and Natchapol Srinoon (2016).

Placing 4th in the two regular season conference meets, Bolander slipped to 17th at the KJCCC Championship dropping the sophomore into the second wave of conference honors accumulating 13.5 points in the standings.

Bolander began the season winning the Hesston Fall Kickoff on a two-round 6-under par score, carded the program's first ever ace the following week on a 3rd place Crazy Horse Challenge, then rallied from behind to win the Central Kansas Classic at 5-under leading the squad to a program 2nd best ever two-round score of 560.

Picking up his third title of the fall season on a two-round 3-under score at the Hesston Golf Course Shootout, Bolander wrapped up the pre-conference slate with a 3rd placing at the Carmichael Cup.

Placing in the top ten of all fall tournaments including a runner-up finish to Bolander at the Hesston Shootout, Lambert carried the experience into the spring conference season to earn honorable mention All-KJCCC honors.

Having to withdraw from the first conference outing of the year, Lambert placed 14th at the second meet before leading the Cougars at the KJCCC Championships with an 8th place finish to climb onto the conference post-season recognition list.

The pair helped the 20th ranked Cougars to a 4th place finish at the Region VI/Central District Championships to qualify the squad for its first national tournament berth since 2014. Bolander led the way with a 5th placing at Districts with Lambert's even-par start to the three rounds helping Barton get off on solid footing against a field packed of nationally ranked teams.

Most recently Barton concluded the season 19th at the NJCAA Division I National Championships held at Rockwind Community Links in Hobbs, New Mexico, with Bolander concluding his Barton career finishing in 28th as Lambert finished in 97th.