When Ethan Shepherd and Noah Gillard weren’t walking the same fairways as teenagers, they were reading breaks on the same greens.
The longtime friends will soon be reunited as teammates.
Gillard, a member of the University of Illinois men’s golf team the past three school years, is transferring after this spring semester to Indiana, where Shepherd is currently a senior and the Hoosiers’ No. 5 player.
It will be the first time the duo has worn the same colors during tournaments since helping lead Center Grove to its lone boys state championship in 2017. The Trojans, led by Gillard, then a junior and the team’s No. 1 player, and Shepherd, a senior, fired a record 36-hole score of 573 (3 under par) at Prairie View Golf Course in Carmel.
The objective starting late this summer is to work that same magic in Bloomington during the fall and spring seasons of the 2021-22 school year.
At fourth-ranked Illinois, breaking into the starting lineup on a consistent basis was challenging for Gillard. More than anything, however, his transfer is about geography and familiarity.
“I decided in mid- to late February to transfer. It just seemed like the best move for me,” Gillard said. “Both my coaches here at Illinois, Mike Small and Justin Bardgett, have been supportive and were so good to me. It was a tough conversation to have, but I think it was in my best interest.”
Gillard estimates between 10 and 15 Division I men’s golf programs reached out to him via email after he entered his name in the transfer portal. Indiana and Ball State were the only ones he seriously considered.
“IU was one of the first schools to reach out, and with Ethan being there, when they contacted me, we clicked right away,” Gillard said. “I wanted to stay close to home and be by my family. IU is 45 minutes from my house, and coach (Mike) Mayer was really good with my recruiting and to my family. That always stuck out to me.”
Gillard played five tournaments for the Illini during last spring’s pandemic-shortened season, twice placing in the top 20 individually. His three-round total of 210 at the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate tied for 11th overall and helped Illinois place second as a team.
He elected to redshirt this season. As a result, he will have three years of eligibility at Indiana should he desire to play college golf for that length of time.
Shepherd, who has been granted an additional year of athletic eligibility due to COVID-19, plans to take advantage while pursuing a master’s degree in accounting and finance.
He’s averaging 72.8 shots per 18 holes this spring for the Hoosiers, who host their own invitational today and Saturday.
“I’m officially coming back for next year. I was already planning on going to grad school, so it worked out perfect,” said Shepherd, an academic all-Big Ten selection at the conclusion of his sophomore and junior seasons. “I’m excited. Noah is a really good golfer and is easygoing like myself, which creates a more relaxed atmosphere.
“He’ll certainly make our team better the minute he gets here.”
