Ottumwa -- Prior to beginning their quest for a national title the Indian Hills golf team and coach Nathan Weant claimed some individual honors.

Sophomore Julien Sale was announced as one of six finalists for the 2018 NJCAA Nicklaus Player of the Year Award.  Sale, along with teammates Ricky Sanders and Joe Kim, had earlier made the cut as semifinalists for the award which will be presented by Jack Nicklaus at a ceremony during the final round of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Ohio.  The winner will be announced May 31.

The PING All-America and All-District teams were revealed on Monday night on the eve of the start of the NJCAA National Championship.  Sale was selected to the All-America first team and freshman George Clarke was an Honorable Mention choice.  Those two Warriors and Sanders were all picked for the All-District III squad.  Clarke joined four other first-year players on the All-Freshman team.

IHCC head coach Nathan Weant is a finalist for the Dave Williams Award presented by Golf Pride Grips which goes to the national coach of the year and is chosen by the Golf Coaches Association of America.  In his first year at the helm, Weant has led Indian Hills to tourney titles in eight of the 10 events the Warriors have played during the fall and spring seasons and IHCC enters the national meet as the No. 1 ranked team in the country.