Marquette High School wins 2025 WIAA Division 1 boys golf state title

VERONA – The Marquette University High School boys golf team got extra time to let the magnitude of that number sink in.

584.

That 36-hole total at University Ridge Golf Course smashed a WIAA state tournament record and allowed the Hilltoppers to roll to a 19-stroke victory over Hudson in the Division 1 field.

The previous low mark was … wait for it … Marquette’s 594 in 2019 when it last won a state championship.

The coronation as champions seemed inevitable after the Hilltoppers carded 24 birdies and an eagle for a 284 in the first round, then kept cruising with a 300 on June 10.

But after the Hilltoppers golfers finished their rounds, they had to wait to hoist the trophy while Waunakee’s Peyton Albers needed three playoff holes to beat Hudson’s Drake Card for Division 1 medalist honors.

An upside of the delayed celebration was that Marquette’s trophy photos came against the backdrop of a setting sun.

“We’ve won state before and this group is as deep and as fun to watch as any I’ve ever had,” Marquette coach Brad Niswonger said. “I’m happy. The boys are happy. That’s all that matters.”

In a fitting tribute to Marquette’s depth, Creede Neuberger, Hayes Packee and Alex Kim all finished back-to-back-to-back on the leader board with Neuberger and Packee tying for fifth at 145 and Kim a shot behind them.

Neuberger and Kim are part of a class of strong seniors. They go back to junior golf, but really bonded together over four years at Marquette.

They got to finish as champions.

“It’s everything,” Neuberger said. “It’s surreal. It’s everything I dreamed of as a kid.

“My brother won here, so I was here (at University Ridge) when he won it. Being able to do it again and do it myself with my best friends and teammates and everybody around, it’s the best moment of my life. For sure. No questions asked.”

Packee was the lone non-senior in Marquette’s state tournament lineup.

“The seniors, they’ve been great leaders,” Packee said. “They’ve made my experience here so much more fun.

“Didn’t start the year on the (varsity) team, got brought up and they welcomed me. It’s really been one of the best experiences of my life being with these guys day in and day out.”

Packee will look to keep those lessons going as the seniors depart.

“It’s a lot to follow up on in the coming years,” he said. “I think we just carry on with what they taught us. We got some guys here that can help me out and I think we can do the same thing next year hopefully. We’ll see.”

This is the fourth state championship won by Niswonger at Marquette. The Hilltoppers finished third last season.

“I’ve got five different guys that are completely different guys,” Niswonger said. “Last year’s experience at state, you learn a lot from any disappointment.

“They learned a lot from last year to this year. And I’m just happy that they’re mature kids. They knew how to handle the pressure. Nothing bothered them.”

Division 2

Waukesha Catholic Memorial’s Jackson Albee finished tied for sixth with a 154 total.

Seymour’s Vince Sigl claimed the individual medalist after beating Cambridge’s Bystol Flores in a one-hole playoff. The golfers tied after shooting 147 over the first two rounds.

Sigl’s performance helped Seymour roll to the team title by 15 strokes over Cambridge.

Catholic Memorial was  fifth and University School of Milwaukee sixth.

Division 3

Sheboygan Lutheran’s Oliver Leibham tied for third after carding a 76 in the second round. Neillsville’s Tucker Johnson was the individual medalist.

Durand-Arkansaw won the team title by 10 strokes over Chetek-Weyerhaeuser.