UW-Stout’s Josh Grisa, a senior from Merrill, was a Third Team selection to the Division III PING All-American Team, as determined by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).
“It was kind of a shock,” Grisa said. “I didn’t know anything about it until my coach sent me a text message that it was coming. It’s pretty cool.
“All-in-all it went well. I didn’t go to nationals, that was the only bummer. I made it my freshman year, individually, and our team got snubbed out of it last year. If we were in a conference we could win and get an automatic bid, but the WIAC doesn’t have a conference for golf.”
Grisa, an All-Central selection in May, finished his senior year with one of the best individual stroke averages in the Central Region, posting a 73.8 average per round. Over 13 rounds during the 2012-13 school year, Grisa, a golf enterprise management major, broke 80 in every round. His lowest score was a 70 last fall at the Transylvania Fall Invitational in Kentucky. Grisa turned in a 71 at the St. John’s Fall Invitational and four times posted a 72, including his final collegiate round at the Edgewood College Spring Invitational, May 3.
Grisa has scored a 70 three times over his career, once as a freshman, once as a junior and again as a senior. In 53 total rounds throughout his collegiate career, Grisa only twice shot more than 82. He finished with a four-year average of 76.9.
Grisa is UW-Stout’s second All-American selection since the program returned to varsity status during the 2006-07 season.
He is working at Black Wolf Run and Whistling Straights as a golf pro intern.
“It’s been pretty fun,” Grisa said. “The courses are amazing. I can golf them a couple of times a week. I’d love to stick around here. I just started a month ago. During the winter, I want to head down south, then come back up here later. That’s still up in the air.”