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Chicago Tribune
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Despite winding road, Aurora's Will Easley sticks with college weightlifting. And excels. ‘Created this monster.'
Time flies, but Aurora weightlifter Will Easley is still going strong despite an unexpected twist in his career path. Easley is a second-year graduate student at East Tennessee State, working on a master's degree in healthcare administration while on scholarship for weightlifting. Last February, Easley was second in his weight class at the USA National University Championship to earn All-American honors. Two weeks ago, he was fourth at the USA Weightlifting National Championship in Colorado Springs, Colorado. 'As far as goals, I want to get back on the podium at nationals,' said Easley, who took second in 2024 when the meet was held in Pittsburgh. How he got here — to Johnson City, Tennessee — is an interesting story. The last time I used this space to delve into Easley's exploits, the 2020 West Aurora graduate was completing his senior year and revealed his college plans to attend Marian in Indianapolis on an athletic scholarship and compete for its fledgling weightlifting team that had started in 2017. Unfortunately, the full impact of the pandemic began to be felt and Marian's program was cut a week before Easley was scheduled to leave for school. So much for the team setting he looked forward to joining. 'I had also applied to Illinois State as a backup option,' he said. Three older siblings were graduates, giving him access to a legacy scholarship. He also earned other academic aid. Illinois State, like most colleges, does not offer weightlifting as a sport. 'It's never been a NCAA sport,' Easley said. 'It's one of the main reasons for the inconsistency with scholarships.' The move left him pretty much alone in his individual sport. Easley, however, made the best of it. He joined the Bloomington-Normal Barbell Club and found a Bloomington gym — Power and Fitness — that fit his needs. He continued training the next four years while earning a bachelor's degree in exercise science. 'I don't want it to seem like I was competing on my own,' Easley said. 'I had a really great coach.' And more than one, actually. Dan Brown, who had recruited him to Marian, stayed in touch and provided training lessons and tips from 2020 to 2022. 'I'd send him video of my training, too, and he'd give me feedback,' Easley said. 'It worked out well but then got to the point where he got really busy with business.' Easley also connected with Bronson Mintun, the general manager and a coach at his gym with competitive experience in Olympic-style lifting and powerlifting. East Tennessee State's Stoneage Weightlifting Club also is on solid footing, being run in conjunction with the school's sports science research department. It's been around for decades. Dr. Michael Henry Stone, who started the program, is highly regarded for his research. Dr. Satoshi Mizuguchi currently heads a team that numbers 18. 'I like it here,' Easley said. 'It's nice looking out at the horizon and seeing the mountains instead of nothing but flat land. 'With my bachelor in exercise science, the goal was that I go on to become a physical therapist, but I decided I wanted more opportunities when I'm out of school.' The demands of the graduate program took some getting used to, and he has an internship at a local hospital working 33 hours a week. He still finds time to lift twice three days a week, followed by another session on Saturday. 'I feel like I've adjusted well and I'm getting back into the groove,' he said. 'One of the guys on the team took second at nationals and is a bit stronger than me. Working with him and some of the others I can get different perspectives. 'It's more like the atmosphere I'm used to over at West Aurora when I had friends working with me.' Easley stays in touch with Thomas Kraus, the West Aurora teacher and coach who got him started in the sport. 'He just keeps doing what Will does — grinding,' Kraus said. 'Will just has an internal motivation that I'm sure many high-level athletes have, but I've never experienced working with someone with that kind of drive in my 30 years at this. 'He's the epitome of consistency and has all the things you need to be successful.' Easley's mother, Colette Gosselin-Easley, believes Kraus deserves credit, too. 'That guy is amazing,' she said. 'They continue to stay in touch. Kraus created this monster.'
USA Today
21-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Oklahoma State's Ethan Fang wins 2025 British Amateur, punches ticket to 3 majors
The moment Ethan Fang made history at The 130th Amateur Championship 🏆 Ethan Fang has added a couple significant trophies to his resume over the last month. The rising junior at Oklahoma State won the 130th British Amateur Championship on Saturday, beating East Tennessee State sophomore Gavin Tiernan 1 up with a clutch birdie on the 36th hole at Royal St. George's. Fang became the first American to win the Amateur since Drew Weaver in 2007, and he's the first Oklahoma State player since Bob Dickson to win the Amateur. Dickson was also the last player to win both the British Amateur and U.S. Amateur in the same year. Fang will have the opportunity to do so in August at Olympic Club in San Francisco. 'It feels great. Still doesn't feel real yet. But I'm sure it'll kick in, and I'll celebrate with my team," Fang said. 'I was hitting it well all day, and I knew if I just stayed in it, some putts would drop, kind of have him work for it, and it ended up working out." With the win, Fang gets an exemption into the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush next month as well as the 2026 Masters and U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. In addition to the three majors, he earned a spot in the DP World Tour's Betfred British Masters. Fang led 2 up with three holes to play before Tiernan buried consecutive birdie putts to tie the match heading into the 36th hole. That's when Fang, hitting his approach shot first, floated an iron to the front part of the green and watched as it released to about 5 feet left of the flag. Tiernan's approach found the far side of the green, and he nearly jarred the birdie look, but when he didn't make it, Fang bounced back and clinched the match, becoming the 22nd American to win the British Am. Another important milestone for Fang is that he has virtually locked up his spot on the U.S. Walker Cup team, as if there was any doubt for the No. 7 amateur in the world. Last month, he went 2-1 in match play to help the Cowboys win their 12th national championship in school history. Now he has one of the biggest amateur events in the world, and by summer's end will join Jackson Koivun, Ben James and Michael La Sasso donning the red, white and blue at Cypress Point in September.
Winnipeg Free Press
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Ethan Fang birdies final hole to become first American in 18 years to win British Amateur
SANDWICH, England (AP) — Oklahoma State junior Ethan Fang held off a late charge Saturday with a 5-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 1-up victory over Gavin Tiernan of Ireland, becoming the first American in 18 years to win the British Amateur. The match at Royal St. George's was all square through 31 holes when Fang built a 2-up lead, Tiernan won the next two holes with big putts, and Fang won it on the 36th hole with an approach shot just 5 feet left of the hole. Tiernan, a sophomore at East Tennessee State, missed well to the left some 45 feet away and grazed the edge of the cup with his long birdie putt, setting the stage for Fang. Fang, who grew up near Dallas and played his freshman year at Cal, earned a trip to the British Open next month and gets into the Masters at Augusta National next year. 'Probably one of the longest days of golf I've ever played,' Fang said. 'I just hit a really good shot on the last hole.' The last American winner of the British Amateur was Drew Weaver in 2007 at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. Tiernan led 1 up after the morning 18 holes, and neither player was ahead by more than one hole until late in the match. Fang two-putted for birdie on the par-5 14th, after Tiernan hit a poor pitch that left him some 30 feet short. Fang went 2 up when Tiernan got in trouble off the tee at the 15th and made bogey. But the Irishman answered in stunning fashion — a 30-foot birdie putt to win the hole on the par-3 16th, and a 15-foot birdie putt on the 17th to square the match again. Fang held his nerve with two great shots to set up birdie and change his summer plans. Fang was already looking good for the Walker Cup in September at Cypress Point, and this victory might be enough to seal a spot on the team for the No. 7 player in the world amateur ranking. But first up is another test of links golf at Royal Portrush for The Open Championship. 'Playing the Masters and Open Championship is going to be sweet,' Fang said. 'I had signed up for a couple of amateur tournaments (this summer), but think I'll cancel that.' ___ AP golf:
Hindustan Times
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Ethan Fang birdies final hole to become first American in 18 years to win British Amateur
SANDWICH, England — Oklahoma State junior Ethan Fang held off a late charge Saturday with a 5-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 1-up victory over Gavin Tiernan of Ireland, becoming the first American in 18 years to win the British Amateur. HT Image The match at Royal St. George's was all square through 31 holes when Fang built a 2-up lead, Tiernan won the next two holes with big putts, and Fang won it on the 36th hole with an approach shot just 5 feet left of the hole. Tiernan, a sophomore at East Tennessee State, missed well to the left some 45 feet away and grazed the edge of the cup with his long birdie putt, setting the stage for Fang. Fang, who grew up near Dallas and played his freshman year at Cal, earned a trip to the British Open next month and gets into the Masters at Augusta National next year. 'Probably one of the longest days of golf I've ever played,' Fang said. 'I just hit a really good shot on the last hole.' The last American winner of the British Amateur was Drew Weaver in 2007 at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. Tiernan led 1 up after the morning 18 holes, and neither player was ahead by more than one hole until late in the match. Fang two-putted for birdie on the par-5 14th, after Tiernan hit a poor pitch that left him some 30 feet short. Fang went 2 up when Tiernan got in trouble off the tee at the 15th and made bogey. But the Irishman answered in stunning fashion — a 30-foot birdie putt to win the hole on the par-3 16th, and a 15-foot birdie putt on the 17th to square the match again. Fang held his nerve with two great shots to set up birdie and change his summer plans. Fang was already looking good for the Walker Cup in September at Cypress Point, and this victory might be enough to seal a spot on the team for the No. 7 player in the world amateur ranking. But first up is another test of links golf at Royal Portrush for The Open Championship. 'Playing the Masters and Open Championship is going to be sweet,' Fang said. 'I had signed up for a couple of amateur tournaments , but think I'll cancel that.' golf: /hub/golf This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
NBC Sports
21-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Oklahoma State's Ethan Fang becomes first American in 18 years to win British Amateur
Ethan Fang's year just got even better. Less than a month after helping Oklahoma State to its first NCAA Championship in seven years, the rising Cowboys junior captured the 130th British Amateur on Saturday at Royal St. George's to score three major invites and a likely Walker Cup spot. Fang trailed Ireland's Gavin Tiernan, 1 down, at the halfway point of the scheduled 36-hole final. But Fang took his first lead after Tiernan's bogey at the par-4 fifth, his third bogey of the afternoon. Tiernan, who just completed his freshman season at East Tennessee State, would card an eagle at the par-5 seventh to tie the match back up, but he also registered six bogeys over the final half after making just one in the morning portion. Fang won Nos. 14 and 15 to go 2 up, though Tiernan would claw back with lengthy birdie makes at each of the next two holes to send the match to the par-4 18th all tied. That's when Fang cut a beautiful approach shot into the green, his ball hitting the upslope perfectly and rolling to about 5 feet. Tiernan missed left, though he nearly canned a third straight from long range. Fang then calmly drained his closing birdie for the win, which comes with invitations into next month's Open Championship at Royal Portrush, next spring's Masters and next summer's U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. Fang, who entered the championship ranked seventh in the world amateur rankings, was already a good bet to qualify for Nathan Smith's 10-man U.S. Walker Cup team that will compete at Cypress Point this September; now, Fang is a virtual lock, along with three Americans who officially qualified via the world rankings on Wednesday – Auburn's Jackson Koivun, Virginia's Ben James and Ole Miss' Michael La Sasso. The moment Ethan Fang made history at The 130th Amateur Championship 🏆 While Fang marks the 22nd American to capture the British Amateur, he is the first since Drew Weaver in 2007 at Royal Lytham. Before Weaver, one must go back to 1979, when the late Jay Sigel won at Hillside. Fang was one of eight Americans to make match play this week, though he was the only one to reach the quarterfinals. Texas senior Tommy Morrison, the reigning European Amateur winner, made it to the Round of 16 and at fifth in the world rankings is also considered likely to join Fang in the Walker Cup.
