http://miac-online.org/news/2011/10/28/MGOLF_1028110400.aspx

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. -- Recruiting is far from an exact science. While many highly recruited student-athletes go on to successful collegiate careers, sometimes the best players end up being the ones a coach didn't recruit. Or, in the case of Tony Krogen of Saint John’s University, one that no coach recruited.

Krogen, who had solid high school golf career, went from un-recruited to the pinnacle of success, twice winning the coveted MIAC Men's Golf Player-of-the-Year award.

Despite qualifying for the State Meet three times in high school, the Marshall, Minn., native never lit up the recruiting radar. “No one recruited me when I was golfing in high school,” he said.

Krogen knew Chad Michelson, a fellow graduate of Marshall High, who played for Saint John’s before graduating in 2006. “I knew him from summer golfing in the Marshall area,” said Krogen. “He suggested I check SJU out. In September of my senior year, I visited Saint John’s, taking in a football game, checking out the campus and learning more about the school. That was when I met Bob [Alpers, the Johnnie golf coach] for the first time.”

He was impressed with the campus and the educational opportunities SJU offered. He also met some of the guys on the Johnnie golf team. “They seemed to be a group of guys like me - from small-town Minnesota,” Krogen said. “I felt I’d fit right in. The whole campus had a small community feeling to it, which I liked.”

College success story
His freshman season, Krogen played primarily on the Johnnies’ JV, but saw action in three meets with the varsity, Krogen exploded onto the collegiate golf scene his sophomore year, winning medalist honors at the MIAC Championship Meet by six strokes, becoming the eighth golfer in SJU history to win the league title. His score helped Saint John’s capture its second-consecutive conference crown. His 54-hole total of 213 is the best composite score in the six years the MIAC has used 54 holes. Krogen earned All-MIAC honors as well.

That spring, Krogen continued is solid play, wrapping up Third Team All-American honors as well as MIAC Men's Golf Player-of-the-Year honors. He finished in a tie for 48th at the NCAA Division III Championship, helping SJU to a fourth-place finish in team competition.

Last year, Krogen paced the Johnnies by shooting a three-day total of 221 to place third at the MIAC Championship. That garnered him All-MIAC honors and helped SJU to its sixth conference title in seven seasons. A week later, he placed fourth at the prestigious Grodin Classic. Then in the spring, Krogen placed 26th at the NCAA Meet, as Saint John’s brought home a third-place finish.

This fall, SJU captured third place at the MIAC Championship, and Krogen finished in a tie for 12th place, narrowly missing automatic All-Conference honors, which go to the Top 10 individual finishers at the conference tournament. The Johnnies are currently ranked third in the nation, and are hopeful they will receive one of the at-large berths in the NCAA Championship this spring.

“Tony is such a kind soul, he’s an awesome guy,” sad his coach, Bob Alpers. “Tony is one of the greatest guys to ever play for us, and he’s one of our all-time greats on and off the course. His positive attitude is infectious, and he has been a real joy to spend time with. Tony has been a terrific player for us, and he has worked hard to become one of the top players in the country."

Amateur adventure
This past summer, Krogen was one of 312 golfers to qualify for the U.S. Amateur Championships, one of the nation’s premier golf events. “Just to get into the qualifier, you must have a handicap of two at the most,” Krogen explained. “There were 70 golfers in the field at the qualifier I played in and only the top three went on to the National.”

Krogen was the medalist at the qualifier held at Burl Oaks Golf Club in Minnetrista, Minn, shooting a 139 (68-71) to lock up a spot at the U.S. Amateur, which was held August 22-28 at Erin Hills Golf Course, outside of Milwaukee. “I played a practice round with Tom Lewis, who had been leading the British Open after the first round of play,” he said.

He shot an opening day 77 and followed with a 75 on the second day, for a two-day total of 152, placing him in a tie for 247th place. While only the top 64 advanced to the match play portion of the event, Krogen was happy with his performance. “There were some very, very good players there,” he noted.”I definitely will try it again, not just in 2012 but over the rest of my life.”

Looking back
“Golf has always been my main sport,” Krogen confided.

He was a six-time letter winner in high school, as he began playing on the varsity as a seventh-grader. He was a four-time All-Conference honoree, helping Marshall to five conference championships. Krogen qualified for the State Meet three times, and in his senior year he helped lead the Tigers to a sixth-place finish. Individually, Krogen finished sixth.

In addition to the high school team, Krogen participated in the Minnesota Junior PGA each summer before he enrolled at SJU. “They offer a number of tourneys over the course of the summer,” he explained. “My final, season I did fairly well, winning one tourney and placing fifth overall.”

Krogen also played hockey for MHS, and was one of the top ten scorers in the state his senior year. Some of his fondest memories in hockey include playing with his older brother, Cory. “He was the better hockey player,” Krogen said. “Cory played for Hamline, graduating from there in 2010.”

Looking ahead
Krogen is a Business Management major and will graduate this May. “I am looking at various entry-level positions in different aspects of business,” he said. “I am looking at sales and marketing ideas, maybe something involving golf. I am making some contacts through the network of Johnnie alums.”

The things that appealed most to Krogen about Saint John’s four years ago are the things he values most about his experiences behind the Pine Curtain. “For me, SJU has been about the people I’ve met and the experience I’ve had,” he said. “I’ve gotten a good education and like the care and sense of community here. Everyone looks out for everyone else.”

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