RedHawk Golf Classic returns for third annual golf outing to drive student-athlete success at IU Northwest

On Monday, June 1, Indiana University (IU) Northwest hosted its annual RedHawk Golf Classic at Innsbrook Country Club, where every putt, swing, and handshake carries a common purpose for the IU Northwest community: supporting the next generation of student-athletes. 

Ryan Shelton, director of athletics at IU Northwest, looks forward to the camaraderie of this event every year.

“This is our third time hosting the RedHawk Golf Classic,” Shelton said. “We see this as an opportunity to continue to build camaraderie between the community, our supporters and friends, and our athletic department while at the same time raising valuable resources in the form of athletic scholarships for our student athletes.”

Shelton believes this golf outing creates plenty of opportunities for current and incoming student-athletes at IU Northwest.

“Our student-athletes are typically trying to balance being a full-time student with being a varsity college athlete, and they often also have part-time jobs,” Shelton said. “For all of those reasons, if we can lighten that burden a little bit – maybe they can work a little bit less and focus on their academics and enjoying their student-athlete experience – then we’re going to do what we can so they can be the best version of a student-athlete that they can be.”

There were plenty of course games and raffle prize opportunities to participate in throughout the event. Some of the top raffle prizes included Chicago White Sox Rate Club seats, Chicago Cubs box seats, IU Football tickets, an autographed football from Curt Cignetti, a Darius Garland autographed basketball four tickets to a Gary SouthShore RailCats Family Night, Chicago Sky tickets, and more.

“There are a lot of people out here that want to support young people and a lot of fans of athletics in this community,” Shelton said. “When you bring those two worlds together, we have people who have the ability to provide that level of support. This is a great opportunity for our student-athletes to interact with our guests and see the faces that are supporting their programs.”

Kaelan Murphy is an incoming junior on the IU Northwest Women’s Volleyball team. Having attended the golf outing last year, she’s thrilled that the event has grown and will continue to support the women’s volleyball program.

“There are more people here and plenty of new faces this year,” Murphy said. “This golf outing helps to afford our education and athletic experience. I think it’s a good way to get us student-athletes to connect with people out here on the golf course as well.”

Amie Schutz, incoming junior, is also a member of the IU Northwest Women’s Volleyball team. She credits the IU Northwest athletic department for providing student-athletes like herself with these opportunities.

“Without our supporters, we wouldn’t be here,” Schutz said. “Our athletic director has been great, and it’s just cool how we can all come together as one big happy family. All the different sports, all the different employees – it’s just a great atmosphere to be around.”

The James W. and Betty Dye Foundation served as the title sponsor for this event. RedHawk sponsors included McMahon & Associates and Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana. Gift sponsors included Horizon Bank and The Harmon Family. Refreshment sponsors included Lakeshore Bone & Joint Institute, Powers Health, Generations Community Bank, Hutton & Hutton Architects & Engineers, and the Chicago White Sox. Other sponsors included Regional Health Systems, Hammond Machine Works, Tri-Eagle, Marcus Allard Truck Rental, and Eclipse Charters & Tours.

“We have a great team between our coaching staff, our administrative staff in the athletic department, our campus community, and our chancellor Dr. Arrick Jackson,” Shelton said. “We’re all in this together to help each other and share in the success and joy of what intercollegiate athletics can bring. With those partnerships, we can set some high goals for ourselves and look forward to accomplishing them.”

Whether they were enjoying breakfast together, competing on the course, sharing a meal at the lunch buffet, or celebrating raffle and award winners, attendees carried a sense of excitement and enjoyment throughout the day.

“We get to tell the stories of our student-athletes and the success that we have with our teams at IU Northwest and RedHawk Athletics,” Shelton said. “The opportunity to see most of our friends and supporters in person, shake a few hands, and make sure they understand how grateful we are is what makes this such a fun event. When we see lots of smiles, that’s how we measure the success of our events.”