2021 All-PacWest Teams

IRVINE, Calif. –  After a season that culminated in Academy of Art men's golf winning its first Pacific West Conference Championship in program history, the Urban Knights dominated the 2021 PacWest Men's Golf and All-PacWest awards, highlighted by junior Julius Kreutzer as the Golfer of the Year and Andy Moren as the Coach of the Year. Additionally, ART U had two selections to the All-PacWest First Team in Kreutzer and fellow junior Matthew Watkins, while seniors Otto Homruen and Gabriel De Leon Manotoc were each named to the All-PacWest Second Team. 

This marks the second consecutive year (awards not given in 2020) and the second time in program history that the Urban Knights have had four All-PacWest selections, but it is the first time in program history that they have had two First Team honors (second time with two Second Team awards). ART U began the year by winning the Bay Area Invitational, and after a trio of top-3 finishes, would end the year by winning the Sonoma State Spring Invitational. That momentum would carry over into the PacWest Championships, where the Knights would take the trophy home for the first time after winning by two strokes. Moren was there to lead the team every step of the way, and for his efforts he was named the 2021 Coach of the Year for another first in ART U men's golf history. 

"Winning the Coach of the Year award is nice, but it is mostly due to the efforts of the players themselves," Moren said. "I appreciate their hard work and I believe this award is also a recognition for the team."

Kreutzer's season was one of numerous accomplishments, as the junior won his first two tournaments of the season (Bay Area Invitational and NNU Nighthawks Invitational) en route to winning a total of three by the end of the year. His runner-up placement at the PacWest Championship would move Kreutzer into second place for career top-10 finishes in ART U program history, trailing only his current teammate who joins him on the First Team. Three times this season Kreutzer was named the PacWest Golfer of the Week (Mar. 11, Mar. 17, Apr. 15), as he had an average round score of 71.86 over the course of his 14 rounds. 

"Julius is an amazing person," Moren said. "I have only been around a few people in my life who hold such a focus each and every day like he does. When he arrived, his impact on our program was felt from day one, and I believe he has inspired much of our team's success. It has been a pleasure coaching him the last couple of years."

Also named to the All-PacWest First Team, Watkins ended his year with an average round score of 73.79 in 14 rounds, often times coming in as the No. 2 finisher for the Knights. Thanks to four top-5 finishes including tying for third at the PacWest Championship, Watkins has become the new ART U program leader for top-10 finishes with 10 in his career. His best finish came when he was runner up at the Bay Area Invitational to begin the season. 

Earning a spot on the All-PacWest Second Team was De Leon Manotoc, who contributed an average round score of 75.57 over the course of 14 rounds. He finished in the top-10 twice while also ending two tournaments just outside in 11th and 12th place. The highest finish for the Communications & Media Technologies major in 2021 came while at the PacWest Championship, tying for sixth place and earning a spot on the PacWest All-Tournament team for the third time in his career. 

Joining the All-PacWest Second Team was Homruen, finishing the 2021 campaign with an average round score of 76.07 in 14 rounds played and notching three ninth-place finishes in three of his first four tournaments played. His lowest score of the season came when he shot a 146 during the Sonoma State Spring Invitational in the final action before the PacWest Championship. 

While it is the first time receiving the honors in the careers of Kreutzer and Homruen, it is the third time Watkins and De Leon Manotoc are receiving the awards. De Leon Manotoc was named to the All-PacWest First Team in 2019 and the Third Team in 2018, while Watkins was named to the Second Team in 2019 and joined De Leon Manotoc on the Third Team in 2018.