Above photo of Kaden Treybig courtesy of Aaron Rodeffer and the UMHB Athletics Department
GRANBURY, Texas- For the majority of the UMHB men’s golf team, Tuesday’s victory at the ASC preview marked the midpoint of the 2021-22 season. But for senior Kaden Treybig, the tournament had a slightly different feel to it.
After all, Treybig was not getting ready to cap off his fall season when he teed off Tuesday morning. He was preparing to begin the final round of his collegiate career.
The native of Bellville, Texas, who is set to graduate in December, finished sixth in the last tournament of his collegiate career, carding a +5 (149) to tie for sixth. It marked his fourth top-10 finish of the fall.
But more than his performances on the course, it was Treybig’s leadership that helped set him apart while in Belton.
“We were thrilled for Kaden’s finish in his final collegiate event, but not surprised,” UMHB head coach Jordan Cox said Tuesday evening. “He played it as an individual in this tournament rather than being a member of our lineup so that we could get an idea of what our team dynamic might be in the spring, since we knew he wouldn’t be there. It was actually something he brought up at the beginning of the semester. That’s how much he cares about the team.”
That team-first mentality was something Treybig saw from former Crusader golfer Cort Crawley as a freshman three seasons ago. Having seen the way Crawley led within the team, Treybig worked, especially this fall as a senior, to be the example on a roster that featured nine freshmen.
“He has grown so much in his time on the team at UMHB,” Cox noted of Treybig. “ [Kaden] credits then-senior Cort Crawley For making a big impact on him when he was a freshman. He said he has wanted to hopefully have that same impact on others when he was a senior.”
Throughout a three year collegiate career, the list of accolades Treybig earned includes the 2021 ASC Fred Jacoby Male Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year award, numerous All-American Scholar honors, along with a number of high finishes at notable tournaments, such as the ASC Championships last season, where he took fifth. But when asked which part of his time as a Crusader sticks out to him, he did not hesitate.
“I asked Kaden, of all of the things that had transpired with him and for him in college, which achievement or accolade meant the most to him?,” Cox said. “I thought he might mention any number of things: Losing 71 pounds and transforming/changing his life physically. Or Winning academic all conference Honors. Or being named a Cleveland/Srixon scholar all-America player more than once. Or Fred Jacoby Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year award winner in the ASC which represents all sports, and not just golf. But he didn’t mention any of those… He immediately said, “Winning conference last year and going to nationals!”
Treybig helped lead the Cru to its eighth ASC title this past spring, shooting a 222 at the conference tournament. Having experienced that memorable run that included an 18th place finish at the NCAA Tournament in Wheeling, West Virginia, he wants nothing more than to see the Cru use the momentum from the fall and achieve the same success, if not more, this spring.
“Going to nationals creates memories for a lifetime,” Treybig said. “ That’s why I want so much for all these guys to experience it by winning conference this year and earning the trip to nationals. I want them to have those same kinds of memories.”
With the way the Cru performed on Tuesday, that is certainly an attainable goal. The future is bright for the program, and while Treybig’s time competing for Cox’s squad may be over, he remains a distinguished part of the team’s history and recent success.
Said Cox: “He will be missed on the team, but I think his impact will be present just like Cort’s was.”
Riley Zayas serves as the managing editor of True To The Cru. He has worked in sports journalism since 2016, and can be contacted at rileyzayas@truetothecru.com.
Thanks RIley. Fine job!