PRINCETON, N.J. — Columbia men's golf first-year Grant Lester has been named the Ivy League Rookie of the Year, while Director of Golf Rich Mueller and staff were voted the Co-Coaching Staff of the Year. This was all part of the Ivy League postseason honors and awards, which were announced Wednesday afternoon.
 
Additionally, Lester and senior Wyatt McGovern were each named First Team All-Ivy League, making up two of the league's five first-team selections. New this year, the league's head coaches voted on the All-Ivy League teams based on each player's body of work over the 2024-25 season. In the past, All-Ivy teams were determined solely by each competitor's finish at that year's league championship.

"Grant, after just one year, might be the hardest-working kid I've ever coached," Mueller said. "Up early, driven, attention to detail and relentless toward being the best he can be.
 
"Wyatt has been a tremendous leader who has earned his stripes by good, old-fashioned hard work. He's meticulous with his practice, strategy and routine. He always found a way to get himself and the team in the mix. Well deserved.
 
"What's great for Wyatt and Grant is that their respective efforts comport with this outcome — we're so proud!"
 
Mueller and his staff coached the Lions to seven top-five team finishes across 11 events. Highlighting the year was a win at the Columbia Autumn Invitational at Lake Placid Club (Sept. 28-29), in which the Lions combined to shoot 16-under-par. A year after losing two of the best players in program history to graduation, Nathan Han and DJ Francey, Mueller and his staff coached Columbia to a second-place finish at the Ivy League Championship.
 
"It's humbling to be recognized by your coaching peers — we're grateful for that," Mueller added. "My coaching staff has been wonderful. Coach Peluso is incredibly additive across so many facets of the program. Coach Arkin, who is an alumnus of the program, brought some really great teaching to our practices in his first year. To have two talented people whom I continue to learn from is humbling.  It takes a village."
 
Lester led the Lions with a 71.82 stroke average this season, averaging just +0.67 strokes above par per round. He earned five top-fives, eight top-10s and a total of 10 top-25s across 11 tournaments. The rookie from the nation's capital finished under par in five of his 11 tournaments. He was runner-up in his collegiate debut at The Doc Gimmler, becoming just the fifth player in program history to post a score of 134 or better in the opening 36 holes of a tournament. He went on to earn another runner-up at the Ivy League Championship to land on the All-Championship Team.
 
McGovern carried a 73.36 stroke average this season. The senior posted two top-five finishes, three top-10s and six top-25s across 11 tournaments. The native of Hillsborough, California, finished under par in three events, including 1-under to tie for fourth at the Ivy League Championship. McGovern was also part of the five-member Ivy League All-Championship Team.
 
Darren Pang was Columbia's Academic All-Ivy League selection. The junior holds an impressive 3.92 GPA, competed in all 28 rounds of all 11 events and earned three top-25 finishes. His best finish of the year came at the Ivy League Championship, tying for 15th.
 
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