PEORIA, Ill. -- Bradley men's golf head coach Jeff Roche has been named the 2015 PGA Teacher of the Year for the Central Illinois Chapter recently announced by the Illinois Section of the PGA.
Currently in his 11th year as head coach of the Bradley men's golf team, the Braves tied for fourth at last year's Missouri Valley Conference Championship played at the Club at Porto Cima in Sunrise Beach, Mo., marking the third straight year the squad placed in the top four in the league. Bradley had not posted three consecutive top four finishes in The Valley since 1984-86.
This fall, senior Lyle Burns (Mahomet, Ill./Seymour/Parkland C.C.) carded the lowest 54-hole scoring in program history and the Braves have turned in the two lowest 54-hole team scores in school history. In addition, Bradley has carded three of the 10 lowest team rounds in Bradley history this fall, while freshman Drake Bushong (Pekin, Ill./Pekin) finished his first semester on The Hilltop with the lowest fall stroke average (71.00) at Bradley.
During Roche's tenure, Bradley has produced two All-MVC performers, nine First-Team MVC Scholar-Athletes and three CoSIDA Academic All-District V honorees. The Braves had not had a Valley Scholar-Athlete since 1998-99 prior to Zach Wanken earning the award in 2007-08 and he along with 2010-11 Charles Orsborn Award winner Coby Thompson are the only three-time Valley scholar-athlete picks in school history.
Seth Trolia, who graduated last spring, broke the Bradley career record for sub-80 rounds (104) during the spring of 2015 and his 75.39 career stroke average ranks second among school marks.
Among other recent accomplishments, the 2013-14 team posted the lowest team stroke average in school history and the third-place MVC finish was the team's best since 1986. At the 2014 MVC Championship, recent Bradley graduate Danny Masrin tied for fifth for the best individual finish for a Brave since 2005 to earn All-Valley honors.
In addition to his work with the Bradley men's golf team, Roche provides instruction at Braves Golf Camps held at WeaverRidge Golf Club.
Roche and the Bradley men's golf team will open the 2016 spring schedule Feb. 15 & 16 at the Carlton Oaks Invitational in Santee, Calif.
