SEATTLE – Seattle U men’s golf added two signees to its 2020 class last week, as talented athletes Blake Benson and Blake Kukula signed National Letters of Intent to play golf for the Redhawks starting next fall.
Benson, a native of Austin, Texas, hails from Westlake High School. He currently owns the school shooting record for an 18-hole tournament, posting a round of minus-eight 63 as a sophomore in the 2017 Lake Travis Shootout. Benson also qualified for the 6A Texas State Championships in 2019, and has competed in a number of tournaments held by the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA). This past year, he took 17th place in a field of 54 at the AJGA Jordan Spieth Open, and finished 12th of 94 in the 2018 AJGA Junior Championship at Sugarloaf.
“We are excited to add the first Texan in Redhawk golf history to this class,” said Head Coach Marc Chandonnet. “Blake comes to us from the strongest high school program in the state, so he understands what it takes to be competitive. He has a fantastic work ethic and a very strong support system – his grandmother Joyce Benson is a former LPGA player who has taught Blake a lot about the game, and his current instructor Cameron McCormack also works with three-time major winner Jordan Spieth.”
Kukula, a senior at Ilwaco High School and native of Ocean Park, Wash., started playing varsity golf in eighth grade and continued through all four years of high school, winning Team MVP for each year. He was the individual Washington state champion in 2017, 2018, and 2019, setting a school record for winning the most individual state championships in any sport. Kukula is the younger brother of Ross Kukula, who played golf for the Redhawks from 2013-17 and made Second Team All-WAC his senior year.
“I am so excited about this young man and his work ethic,” said Chandonnet of Kukula. “With him, I know that Seattle U is getting a first-class individual who will leave absolutely nothing on the table and knows how to win. There is zero doubt that he will give this institution, his teammates and the coaching staff 100 percent. As team captain, his brother Ross led the team to a conference championship and a berth in the NCAA Regionals for the first time in 65 years – he is just part of the great support system that Blake has around him. There is not much more that a coach could hope for, and we feel very fortunate to be having Blake Kukula join the Redhawk family.
“Both Blake Benson and Blake Kukula are also exceptional students who are committed to their academic experience. They will be a fantastic addition to the Seattle U community.”