Ben Kendrick All-Decade Team

All-Decade Team: Men's Golf

By Sports Information

Williamsburg, KY – The UC Men’s Golf team is one of the longest-tenured teams on campus after starting play during the 1960-61 season.  The Patriots have captured 13 KIAC Championships, 8 Mid-South Conference regular-season titles, 8 MSC Tournament Championships, and made 17 appearances at the NAIA National Championships.  Cumberlands began the decade strong winning five of the first six MSC regular-season titles and posted four MSC Tournament championships. In addition to the team’s success, UC has had 9 NAIA All-Americans, 5 NAIA All-Tournament selections, 6 MSC Golfers of the Year, 6 MSC Tournament Medalist, and 3 MSC Freshman of the Year. The Patriots' success has come in part of having a slew of talented golfers that have garnered countless honors at both the conference and national level. With all of these accomplishments, the one golfer that represents the men’s golf program on UC’S All-Decade Team is Ben Kendrick.

Kendrick is one of the most decorated golfers in program history as he has posted Cumberlands two best finishes at the NAIA National Championship placing second and third in consecutive seasons.  Kendrick holds the program records for lowest season average at 71.96 (2015-15), lowest single-round score (64), and lowest 54-hole score (205).  The Danville, KY native is the only Patriot golfer to be named MSC Golfer of the Year three times and is the one Cumberlands golfer to be named to the NAIA All-Tournament Team twice.  Kendrick has been selected as an NAIA All-American twice, was an MSC First-Team All-Conference selection three times, and earned Second-Team All-Conference once. Over his four-year Patriot career, Kendrick won seven tournaments, which is the fifth most in program history.

“Being selected to the all-decade team as the representative for Men’s Golf is without a doubt one of the greatest accomplishments of my career. I am grateful that Coach Kraftick took a chance on me as a freshman walk-on. I didn’t have very much success as a junior golfer and I came into Cumberlands just hoping to eventually make the top-5 and play in tournaments. To look back on the college career I had considering where I started makes me very grateful for all the people that helped me along the way. The men’s golf program at UC has a storied history of great coaches, great teams, and ultimately, great players. To even be in the conversation as one of the best players from the last ten years means so much to me.”
- Ben Kendrick

Kendrick began his Patriot career as a walk-on to the men’s golf program and played in five tournaments, notching three top-ten finishes as a freshman. In his first tournament dawning the red and navy, Ben carded a 150 (+6) to place 11th at the Bill Sergent Invitational.   Kendrick found his grove during the spring season tallying back-to-back ninth-place finishes at the 23rd Annual SEKI Tournament and the MSC Spring Invite. At the MSC Championships, Kendrick shot par, 72, in the first round en route to finishing in a seven-way tie for tenth place with a 54-hole score of 233.  For his efforts, Kendrick earns MSC Second-Team All-Conference honors.   

After a strong finish to his first season, Kendrick looked to carry the momentum into his sophomore season where he helped Cumberlands to five team wins and posted three top-ten finishes.  After solid performances in the fall, Kendrick started to come into his own during spring 2016.  At the 24th Annual SEKI Tournament, Ben carded a 233 (+7) to finish sixth in the field and earn All-Tournament honors for the first time in his career. He followed it up with a sixth-place finish at the MSC Spring Tournament after he shot a 149. Kendrick’s breakout moment came at the 2016 MSC Tournament Championships when he pulled away from the field for an eight-stroke.  The sophomore hit under par in all three rounds, including carding a school-record 64 (-8) in the second round to earn Medalist honors for the first time in his career.  Kendrick capped off the season by carding a 299 and placing 36th at the NAIA National Championship. 

“Ben is the classic story to go from walk-on to an NAIA National Runner Up and multiple time MSC Champion. His determination to be great was unmatched.”
- Athletic Director & Former Golf Coach Chris Kraftick

Kendrick breakout season came during the 2016-17 season where he recorded four wins and nine top-five finishes. The Danville, KY native opened the season shooting par in both of the first two tournaments, including winning the Bill Sergent Invite. Kendrick wrapped up the fall with three straight top-five finishes.  Ben carded a six-under-par, 66, en route to earning Medalist honors at the Spring Break Invite, before topping the leaderboard at the Wildcat Cup. At the MSC Championship Kendrick carded a 67 (-5) in the final round to finished tied for the lead of the individual standings, which he eventually won after sinking a par putt on the third playoff hole.  For his efforts, Kendrick was named the MSC Golfer of the Year and was a First Team All-Conference selection.  The junior’s strong play continued into the National Championships as he recorded three rounds under par and finished with a 72-hole score of 290 to finish runner-up. It was the highest individual finish by a Patriot and earned Kendrick NAIA All-Tournament honors and NAIA First Team All-American honors. He also set the program record for best season average carding 71.96 per round.

“My favorite athletic memory from my time at UC is winning the MSC individual title my Junior year. I started the final round in a tie for 3rd place, 6 strokes behind the leader. I had a really good season up to this point but to make it to the national championship I had to win the tournament individually. I managed to shoot 67, finishing 4-under-par on my last 5 holes and to force a sudden-death playoff that I eventually won on the third hole. The determination it took to remove all doubt from my mind and not give up, even with the odds stacked against me, is a memory I use as motivation to this day. The celebration I had on the final green with my teammates and parents after winning the playoff is one of the best moments in my life. None of that would have been possible without my teammates who believed in me and Coach Butler and Coach Riggs who helped me through that final round.”
- Ben Kendrick

The strong play continued into the 2017-2018 season as Kendrick earned Medalist honors twice, eight top-five finishes, and recorded 12 rounds under par.  The senior used an opening round 66 (-6) to earn Medalist honors at the MSC Fall Invite finishing with a 139 (-5).  Kendrick added five top-five finishes, including a runner-up finish at the MSC Spring Invite, which was the final event before the MSC Championship. At the championship, Kendrick posted a recorded-setting performance carding a 54-hole total of 202 (-14) to win by five strokes for his third straight MSC tournament title.  The Danville, KY native shot under par in each of the three rounds, including a six-under-par, 66, in the final round to set a 54-hole MSC Tournament record. Kendrick also became just the second golfer in conference history to win Golfer of the Year honors three-time.  The senior capped off his career at the NAIA National Championships where he shot a three-under-par 281 to finish tied for third on the individual leaderboard.

“Playing golf and going to school at UC gave me some of the best times of my life. Without hesitation, if I had to do it over again I would pick UC in a heartbeat. I made bonds with my roommate and teammates that I’ll have for the rest of my life. I was able to grow my faith in Christ through fellowship and relationships with students, staff, and mentors in the community. I got to serve as a campus ambassador for two years and pass on my love for UC to future patriots. I even met my future wife while I was a student at UC. For all this and more, I am eternally grateful for the University of the Cumberlands and Williamsburg, Kentucky.”
- Ben Kendrick

Kendrick graduated from UC in May 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in chemistry with an emphasis on pre-professional health sciences.  Kendrick continued his playing career for a couple of years until retiring in December 2019. In August Ben will enroll in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at the University of Kentucky.  He is also will marry fellow UC Alum Jessie Truelove on Saturday, July 11, 2020.

The UC All-Decade Team was determined based on stats, awards & honors received, and significance to the program in addition to input for members of the UC Athletic Department. It will include one representative from every sport and be comprised of 29 student-athletes. The all-decade team looked at everything from the 2010-2011 season through the 2019-2020 season.