2 0 0 6 , ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁Big ▁Ten ▁Conference ▁Player ▁of ▁the ▁Year . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁gol fer ▁from ▁North western ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁award ▁since ▁Luke ▁Donald ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁ranked ▁number ▁one ▁in ▁the ▁G olf week / S ag arin ▁Big ▁Ten ▁Player ▁Rat ings ▁for ▁the ▁year . ▁During ▁ 2 0 0 5 – 0 6 , ▁he ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁top ▁ 2 0 ▁in ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁six ▁tournament s . ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁after ▁he ▁finished ▁tied ▁for ▁ 4 th ▁at ▁the ▁Ke pler ▁Inter col leg iate , ▁he ▁optim ist ically ▁said : ▁" We ' ve ▁significantly ▁under ach ieved ▁this ▁year . ▁But ▁no ▁one ▁will ▁remember ▁this ▁if ▁we ▁win ▁another ▁Big ▁Ten ▁championship ." ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁however , ▁his ▁team ▁narrow ly ▁missed ▁the ▁cut ▁for ▁the ▁NCAA ▁Championships ▁which ▁it ▁had ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁prior ▁year , ▁by ▁a ▁mere ▁two ▁stro kes ▁at ▁the ▁NCAA ▁Central ▁Regional ▁Championship . ▁ ▁His ▁team mate ▁K yle ▁Moore ▁said ▁that : ▁" It ' s ▁hard ▁to ▁gauge ▁how ▁long ▁he ▁hits . ▁If ▁he ▁[ w ere ] ▁on ▁the ▁P GA ▁Tour , ▁he ' d ▁be ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁longest ▁drivers ▁out ▁there ." ▁His ▁coach ▁Pat ▁G oss ▁observed ▁that ▁his ▁skill ▁at ▁hitting ▁iron ▁sh ots ▁into ▁the ▁wind ▁distinguished