Army West Point Athletics
Heckel Jr. Named Patriot League Men's Golf Player of the Year
April 29, 2025 | Men's Golf
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Senior team captain John Heckel Jr. added another Patriot League postseason award to his trophy case as he was named the 2025 Patriot League Player of the Year following the championship tournament at Bucknell.
The Haskins Award Watch List member for college golf's player of the year, finishes his Army career as a four-time All-Patriot League performer after he was a second team honoree in 2025. He was seventh on the individual leaderboard at 1-over for the tournament. Heckel Jr. becomes the seventh Black Knight to be named the league's player of the year and the first since Peter Kim in 2017. He also joins Kim as the only Army golfers to be named Patriot League Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year during their careers.
This season he won a pair of individual titles for the Black Knights and led Army to a Star victory over Navy in the fall on their home course. Heckel Jr. earned the CIC Cup Individual Title, shooting 13-under in the two rounds at Scottsdale National Golf Club and helped Army win the cup by 13 strokes over the Mids and Air Force. His first win of the season came at the Ryan T. Lee Memorial Collegiate at Shuttle Meadow Country Club in Connecticut. He came from behind down the stretch and shot 6-under to force a playoff and got the individual win on the fourth playoff hole.
Heckel Jr. also has been honored twice as a Golf Coaches Association of America All-America Scholar.
The Haskins Award Watch List member for college golf's player of the year, finishes his Army career as a four-time All-Patriot League performer after he was a second team honoree in 2025. He was seventh on the individual leaderboard at 1-over for the tournament. Heckel Jr. becomes the seventh Black Knight to be named the league's player of the year and the first since Peter Kim in 2017. He also joins Kim as the only Army golfers to be named Patriot League Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year during their careers.
This season he won a pair of individual titles for the Black Knights and led Army to a Star victory over Navy in the fall on their home course. Heckel Jr. earned the CIC Cup Individual Title, shooting 13-under in the two rounds at Scottsdale National Golf Club and helped Army win the cup by 13 strokes over the Mids and Air Force. His first win of the season came at the Ryan T. Lee Memorial Collegiate at Shuttle Meadow Country Club in Connecticut. He came from behind down the stretch and shot 6-under to force a playoff and got the individual win on the fourth playoff hole.
Heckel Jr. also has been honored twice as a Golf Coaches Association of America All-America Scholar.
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
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