John Carroll University Athletics

A three-time All-American and 1996 Jack Nicklaus College Player of the Year Award as the best golfer in the nation at the Division III level, Brian Unk certainly set the bar for all others will be measured in this sport at John Carroll.

Unk performed exceptionally well on the biggest of stages. He had three top-30 finishes, including a ninth place showing as a sophomore and a fourth place effort as a senior, at the Division III National Championships. His efforts also enabled the Blue Streaks to finish in the top four of the NCAA Division III Championships in each of his final three seasons. He was selected first-team All-American his senior year to go along with his Nicklaus Award, and was also a two-time Academic All-American.

On the conference stage, Unk was a four-time All-OAC performer thanks to four consecutive top five finishes at the league championship meet. He helped lead JCU to a pair of OAC titles in his sophomore and junior seasons. At the end of his senior campaign, Unk was selected as the recipient of the Clyde A. Lamb Award  (top student-athlete in the conference). Several years after his graduation, the OAC Championship medalist trophy was renamed in his honor.

After completing his collegiate career, Unk would begin a professional career in the sport of golf as a member of the Canadian Tour. After he won a total of 12 mini tour events between 1997 and 2000, Unk would qualify for the Canadian Tour in 2000, and his rookie year, won the 2000 Eagle Creek Classic. He has remained an exempt player on the tour for seven consecutive seasons.