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Nick Piesen To Become a Hoosier

By Joe Mertens '15, 01/18/22, 10:30AM EST

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The junior State Champion will be continuing his academic and golf career at Indiana University.

OHIO CITY, Oh - Fresh off a State Championship, Nick Piesen has committed to continue his academic and golf career in Bloomington at Indiana University. The junior made the 2nd Team All-Ohio and was named 1st Team All-Northeast Ohio in the 2021 golf season. Piesen sunk the final putt for the Golf Cats in the 2021 OHSAA Championship, which saw the program win its first title since the 2002 season. Piesen will have his eyes set on a National Championship when he becomes a Hoosier in the fall of 2023.

"I began the process in June, it took about five months to commit fully and it was late in the game," explains Piesen. "I visited in October and they watched me at Sectionals during the season. I loved the campus and the coaches; it was the right decision."

After being a member of the State Runner-up team in 2020, Piesen was excited to improve his game on the greens. "The biggest part of improvement is not the golf game but the mental game. Colleges look at how you're handling yourself through difficult situations," Piesen says. "I wanted to improve my putting as it is one of the most important parts about golf and to improve my short game."

"I couldn't be more excited for Nick being a Hoosier. Nick has worked so hard over the years. He had several great college programs after him, which speaks to his play on the course and his strong character and hard work in the classroom," says Head Golf Coach PJ Myers '99. Many very reputable coaches were after Nick, so it's nice to see that he had several options and could do the due diligence he felt was required to make the very best decision. When I spoke with Nick after he made his decision, I could hear the genuine excitement in his voice. Right away, I got the feeling that this was going to be an extraordinary place for Nick. Indiana landed a great one in Nick and I'm confident he will profoundly impact their program.

During Piesen's junior year at Saint Ignatius, the decision notes the importance of being committed early. "This decision frees me up. I don't have to think about it as much because it is a process," says Piesen. "It is something you think about in a tournament or playing in general, so it makes me feel better to be committed and it'll help my game."

Golf goes further than just the high school season; most Golf Cats participate in different tournaments and invitationals across the country. For Piesen, it's business as usual to find himself on the golf course competing. Before the 2021 season, Piesen took first place in the AJGA Junior at Knollwood, shooting 69-69-68 to enter the high school season in a rhythm. 2021 will be a year that Piesen will never forget.

"I had a great summer in 2021, individually for tournaments over summer and the State Championship run was amazing," says Piesen. "Being able to commit to Indiana after that feels good to look back and see all the hard work paying off."

Piesen is one of three captains entering the 2022 season in the fall and is grateful to have the chance to lead the team next season. "It is special because I want to be a leader any way I can. I want to be a role model for the younger guys," explains Piesen. "We have two other captains with Connor Malicki and Michael O'Leary; the three of us will lead the team any way we can."

"Nick is a special person all around. He is the kindest person I've ever met. He's genuine as can be and treats everyone he meets with respect. Those traits can be hard to find these days. While he'll give you all he has on the course and compete hard, he's the first one to congratulate his opponents and cheer for his teammates," Myers explains. "Along with his personality, Nick is the best ball striker I've ever seen. He's got a gift for hitting the ball in the center of the face every time, which makes him deadly accurate. He can play in any condition under any pressure because his game holds up. All of these things make him a coach's dream. I couldn't be happier for Nick."

Piesen competed in the 74th annual Donald Ross Jr. Invitational held in Pinehurst, North Carolina, during Christmas break. Piesen would shoot a 75-72 in the two-day invitational. Piesen is excited to improve his game even more during the summer, competing against the Nations best youth in golf. "I have a lot of tournaments scheduled for this upcoming summer," Piesen says. "I'll be golfing in Ohio and North Carolina."


Before stepping on the campus of Indiana University, Piesen will be looking to repeat as a State Champion for the Golf Cats in 2022. Coach Myers has built a strong team and will be favorites entering next season and Piesen will be an integral part of the success for the Golf Cats.