Most will attend Purdue or Indiana in 2022

Glenview, Ill. – Seventeen caddies from the state of Indiana have been awarded the Evans Scholarship, a prestigious full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies, following an online selection interview held Jan. 27.

Each caddie has a unique story that reflects the scholarship’s four selection criteria: a strong caddie record, excellent academics, demonstrated financial need and outstanding character.

They will begin college in the fall of 2022 as Evans Scholars, with most attending Purdue University in West Lafayette or Indiana University in Bloomington. The Evans Scholarship is valued at more than $120,000 over four years. Winners are listed below.

“These young men and women are part of an exceptional incoming class of New Scholars from around the nation,” said WGA Chairman Joe Desch. “They represent what the Evans Scholars Program has been about since 1930.”

The Evans Scholars selection interviews are being held with applicants nationwide through the spring. When the 2021-22 selection meeting process is complete, an estimated 315 caddies from across the country are expected to be awarded the Evans Scholarship.

The Western Golf Association, headquartered in Glenview, Illinois, has supported the Chick Evans Scholarship Program through the Evans Scholars Foundation since 1930. Known as one of golf’s favorite charities, it is the nation’s largest scholarship program for caddies.

Currently, a record 1,070 caddies are enrolled at 21 universities across the nation as Evans Scholars, and more than 11,500 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars since the program was founded by famed Chicago amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr.

“These young students have each shown excellence in the classroom, in their communities and on the golf course,” said WGA President and CEO John Kaczkowski. “We are proud to welcome them to the Evans Scholars family.”

Scholarship funds come mostly from contributions by nearly 35,000 supporters across the country, who are members of the Evans Scholars Par Club program. Evans Scholars Alumni donate more than $17 million annually, and all proceeds from the BMW Championship, the penultimate PGA TOUR Playoff event in the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup competition, are donated to the Evans Scholars Foundation. In 2022, the BMW Championship will be held at Wilmington Country Club in Wilmington, Delaware, from Aug. 16-21.

 

Name

City

Club

High School

University

Simbarashe Hlupo

Avon

Hillcrest CC

Avon HS

Indiana

Anne Conway

Carmel

Crooked Stick Golf Club

Carmel HS

Purdue

Michael Lupke

Fishers

Prairie View Golf Club

Cathedral HS

Indiana

Carter Craig

Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne CC

Northside HS

Purdue

Kasey Craig

Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne CC

North Side HS

Indiana

Miranda Freeman

Fort Wayne

Orchard Ridge CC

Leo HS

Purdue

Evan Niemeyer

Fort Wayne

Orchard Ridge CC

Heritage Jr/Sr HS

Indiana

Jason Reust

Fort Wayne

Orchard Ridge CC

Homestead HS

Purdue

Deanna Aguilar-Hernandez

Indianapolis

Prairie View Golf Club

Riverside HS

Purdue

John Barfield

Indianapolis

Hillcrest CC

Colonial Christian

Purdue

Tabitha Njoroge

Indianapolis

Hillcrest CC

Pike HS

Indiana

Lizzet Ochoa

Indianapolis

Prairie View Golf Club

Ben Davis HS

Purdue

Lilliana Rondinella

Indianapolis

Hillcrest CC

Lawrence North HS

Indiana

Maria Wadle

La Porte

Long Beach CC

Marquette Catholic

Purdue

Seth Palmer

Michigan City

Long Beach CC

Michigan City HS

Purdue

Marcus McGuire

Paoli

French Lick Resort

Paoli Jr Sr HS

Indiana

Caitlyn Novak

Peotone (IL)

Briar Ridge CC

Bishop McNamara

University of Illinois