Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
(written by Hannah Bevis, Student Sports Information Assistant)

May 2, 2016 - Eric Gruber was a member of the North Central College men's golf team that made history last year when they finished fourth in the 2015 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Tournament, the first time the team had finished in the top half of an eight-team conference since 1992.

Gruber played a significant role in that victory for the team and has seen personal growth in his golf game as well. The only four-year senior on this year's team, he had to step into a leadership role very early in the season.

"Being one of the two seniors on the team, it's been a little bit different," said Gruber. "There were no seniors last year, and I kind of had to pick up a leadership role. I had it a little bit last year-- [It's] been a good year overall."

Gruber hasn't had the easiest collegiate golf career. During his four years on the team, he's played for three different coaches and has been one of the oldest members of the team his last two years. Last season, there were no seniors on the team, so the leadership roles fell to Gruber, who's a self-described "lead-by-example" type of player.

Though he's had to adapt through his career, he says he's really starting to notice a culture shift on the team. With Steve Sellers taking over as head coach after more than a half dozen years as an assistant, Gruber says the team is more focused on academics. But the change is noticeable on the links as well.

"We've had to make some adjustments but I think people are starting to learn the culture that needs to be set on the team. Last year, people showed up and we didn't really know what to expect, this year we expected to finish top 5 in most tournaments and we did several times," said Gruber.

"That's one thing I've learned over my four years, is when you play with teams like Illinois Wesleyan and Millikin is they expect to win. You have to expect to win….you can't just settle. I think the mentality has changed, that's for sure."

Fiercely competitive, Gruber has been playing some of the best rounds of golf in his collegiate career during his last year at North Central. Before his senior season, he'd only finished in the top 10 at a tournament once; this year alone he has three top-10 finishes. One of those was at the Illnois College Blueboy Invitational, where he shot a season-low 73 and followed with a 75 to finish fifth overall. He finished the season with a 78.9 stroke average, third-best on the team.

After graduation, Gruber would like to stay around North Central—a broadcast communication major, he hopes to work with Naperville Community Television as an announcer with teams he's familiar with, and he says he'll probably play golf this summer with his coach and friends who will be returning to the team next season.
 
"I'm going to be out a lot watching them anyways, but it's going to be different," said Gruber. "I'm going to miss trying to push people, because I've been trying to put up scores and get people to try and catch me."