Abdo Named Rookie of the Year, Three From Men’s Golf All-Conference

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Gustavus first-year Jimmy Abdo (Edina, Minn.) was named the MIAC Rookie of the Year and was joined by two teammates on the All-MIAC list when the conference announced its 2024-25 Men’s Golf Awards on Monday, May 12. 

Junior Chris Gutuza (second; Johannesburg, South Africa) and senior Teddy Kaste (t-sixth, Apple Valley, Minn.) achieved All-Conference distinction by placing in the top 10 at the MIAC Championship held Oct. 5-7.

The second Gustie to receive the MIAC’s rookie award, Abdo averaged 75.3 in 22 rounds this season – the third best mark on the team. He and his All-Conference teammates, as well as Jack Reinardy (Sr., Andover, Minn.), each collected a medalist finish this season. Abdo peaked in the spring, winning the Bobby Krig Invite on April 19, followed by a second-place finish at the Saint John’s Spring Invitational the following week. Abdo was selected as the MIAC Athlete of the Week for his performance at the Gusties’ home tournament, and shot a season-best round of 68 (-3) at SJU on April 27. 

The All-MIAC honor is the third-consecutive for Gutuza, the Gusties’ first Rookie of the Year in the 2022-23 season. Gutuza owned a team-best 74.1 scoring average this season with five top-10 finishes in 25 rounds. Gutuza won the prestigious Williams Invitational in the fall, took second at the MIAC Championship by three shots (was leading for first two rounds), and finished second in each the Bobby Krig and SJU Spring Invites.

Kaste averaged a 75.0 with five top-10 finishes in 25 rounds this season. The All-Conference honor is also the third-straight for Kaste, who opened the 2024-25 competition year with medalist honors at the Augsburg University Invitational in the fall, collecting MIAC Athlete of the Week honors the following Monday. He shot a season-low 68 (-3) in his final round of collegiate golf at Saint John’s (April 27). Kaste graduated with a career average of 76.1, two medalist honors, four top-five finishes, and 12 in the top 10.

In addition to the three All-MIAC selections, Pelay Perez Crespo (Jr., Sotogrande, Spain) was also an honorable mention selection. In his junior season, Perez Crespo averaged an even 76.0 in 25 rounds. Through 10 events, he collected a trio of top 10 finishes, and one in the top five (Bobby Krig Invite). 

The Gustavus men’s golf team won four tournaments in the 2024-25 season – the most since the 2012-13 season (5) – and placed in the top five of five others, including the 2024 MIAC Championship where the Gusties finished fifth of nine teams. Gustavus went 56-14 against MIAC competitors and recorded a scoring average of 298.6 in 29 rounds.