CRESWELL, Ore.  – Senior Levi Dean continued his hot start to the spring campaign this week, shooting an impressive six-under par over two rounds to win the men's portion of the NCU Invitational, hosted at Emerald Valley Golf Club.
 
The tournament, which featured the Beacons and a pair of community colleges, may not count toward official season statistics, but it was a positive 36 holes nonetheless as NCU won the men's and women's events in their final preparations for the close of the 2018-2019 season.
 
The ladies were led by sophomore Kelsie Hellwege who finished second overall, missing the medalist honors by one stroke. Hellwege shot an 86-83—169 over the two rounds.
 
Cassidy Krauss finished in third place, one shot behind Hellwege (84-86—170) while Carli Brousseau (91-86—177) rounded out the top-five.
 
Dean, playing his final collegiate tournament on home turf, made the most of his rounds, battling off rain and a notoriously difficult course to shoot a pair of 69's. His six-under par 138 won the tournament by six strokes, and led the team to a two-round total of 588 as the Beacons "A" team claimed a 28-stroke victory over Grays Harbor CC. The NCU "B" team was third (626) followed by Southwestern Oregon Community College (637).
 
Had this tournament been allowed to count for statistical and historical purposes, Dean's 138 would have set a new two-round tournament record for the Beacons while the team score also would have been an all-time best by 11 strokes. NCU's 284 in Monday's opening round, which equaled a four-under-par day, would have been the second lowest in school history, proving that Dean and the Beacons are in rarified air as they head into their final two tournaments for 2019.    
 
NCU will be back in action next week as they head to Salem to resume Cascade Collegiate Conference action at the Corban Invitational at Creekside Golf Course. Two weeks later they will head to Bend for the CCC Championships at Pronghorn.