BUTLER TWP — The Butler County Community College golf team shot its lowest score of the season Friday behind Cory Voltz’s premier performance as a Pioneer, and BC3 finished its fall regular season unbeaten for an unprecedented third year in a row with a 16-stroke victory over Westmoreland County Community College.

The Pioneers had a 303 – six strokes lower than their previous low score this fall – and are 11-0 entering a Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference championship tournament the program has won eight times since 2013 under coach Bill Miller.

BC3 finished fall regular seasons with records of 11-0 in 2022 and 10-0 in 2021.

“The one common denominator is that we’ve had good players,” Miller said. “That’s the starting point. They have performed very well as individuals and as a team. They know they are going to have the opportunity to play in a program that strives to be successful. It’s our goal.”

Voltz, BC3’s only sophomore, was the medalist Friday at Glengarry Golf Links in Latrobe with a 1-under 69.

“I’ve been on two different teams here over the past year, and we’re still doing good,” said Voltz, who putted only 24 times Friday and had three birdies. “I feel honored to be around this program.”

Voltz recorded his lowest score in a fall season since a 2-over 74 on Sept. 2, 2022, at Lake Arthur Golf Club in Butler.

“He has a little bit of that second-year experience, and he is peaking at the right time,” Miller said. “He played very well Friday. He drives the ball very well, hits it consistently down the middle. When he is playing with opponents, they say, ‘Another one down the middle. Another straight ball.’

“The tee shots set him up for the green.”

BC3 freshmen Jonah Kozora shot a 76 Friday, and Xander Downing and Devin Latsko 79s. Xavier Farmer had an 86. Only the top four individual scores are counted toward the team score.

“Three years like this with a lot of success means that it’s not just luck,” Kozora said.

“It’s not like it’s the same team that keeps winning every year,” Downing said. “New guys every year.”

“A lot of great guys on the team,” Kozora said, “for multiple years now.”

Among them are Troy Loughry and Liam Kosior, players on BC3’s 2021 and 2022 undefeated fall teams. Loughry now plays golf for Point Park University in Pittsburgh on an athletic scholarship and Kosior, for Westminster College in New Wilmington on an academic scholarship.

Loughry won WPCC championship tournament individual titles in 2021 and in 2022. Kosior was second in 2021 and third in 2022. Miller has been selected as WPCC coach of the year eight times since 2003.

“Coach Miller,” Loughry said, “puts a tremendous amount of effort and work into recruiting guys, not only to bring them to a great institution, but to have the opportunity to play on a great team with a great coach.”

Miller, Kosior said, “gets the right guys in the program. He gets guys who are not only good players, but who are good people, too. When you have good people, good teammates, it’s way easier to win. You’re more comfortable in the environment and winning becomes like second nature.”

BC3’s score of 303 Friday was its best in a fall round since a 309 on Sept. 1 at Glengarry Golf Links and its lowest since a 290 on Sept. 9, 2022, at North Park Golf Course in Allison Park.

Kozora averaged a 76.8 this fall; Voltz, a 77; Downing, a 78.8; Latsko, an 84.4; and Farmer, a 91.4. Kozora has been medalist twice; Voltz has been medalist or co-medalist twice and Downing has been a co-medalist.

The Pioneers at the Links at Spring Church in Apollo on Friday and Saturday will compete for the program’s 13th WPCC team championship since 1972 and against Westmoreland County Community College, the Community College of Allegheny County and Pennsylvania Highlands Community College. Only BC3’s volleyball program with 18 has won more WPCC titles than the college’s golf squad.

“I definitely want this,” Kozora said. “This is huge. This is one of the first times I have been on a really great team in golf. To have a chance to win a tournament like this is special to me.”

“This,” Downing said, “will definitely be fun.”

BC3 golfers have won WPCC championship tournament individual titles six times since 2014. Joining Loughry are Carmen Oliva, a Neshannock graduate, in 2016 and in 2019; Anthony Lewis, a Butler graduate, in 2017; and Chris Kier, a Knoch graduate, in 2014.

Kozora is a graduate of Mars Area High School; Voltz, of Knoch; Downing and Farmer, of Butler; and Latsko, of Seneca Valley.

Bill Foley is coordinator of news and media content for Butler County Community College