IUP Athletics Feature: Jack Steve

INDIANA, Pa. - IUPAthletics.com caught up with rising junior men's golfer, Jack Steve. 

Steve has been a staple in the Crimson Hawks' five-man lineup during his two seasons at IUP. Part of a highly-touted 2018 recruiting class, he's helped IUP to back-to-back Atlantic Region No. 1 rankings and a 2019 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) team championship last fall. 

Steve has competed in 13 of 16 possible tournaments over the last two seasons, despite dealing with nagging back injuries. As a freshman he posted four top-30 finishes, tying for 17th overall at the Mercyhurst Fall Invitational, just his second collegiate tournament. He also posted a 26th place finish at Gannon's Bud Elwell Invitational and a 27th place finish at Cal U's Crofton Invitational. 

Moving into his third season, he's being looked to contribute in more ways than just on the course by his coach. 

“I am very proud of the work ethic that Jack possesses,” said head coach Dan Braun. "Because of this important characteristic, Jack is growing into a natural leader not only for our program, but for everyone at IUP. Whether he is in the gym, on the course, or in the classroom, Jack sets a fine example for all student-athletes. I am sure he will continue to grow in all aspects, and his efforts will pay off during and after his IUP career."

Where are you right now?

I am living in Indiana off-campus with four of my teammates: Nick Ward, Jack Buccigross, Richie Kline, and Shaun Fedor. 

What is your reaction to the PSAC's decision to suspend fall sports in 2020?

I was obviously disappointed along with everyone else because of how hard we have worked to continue our team's success. However, the most important thing is to stay safe and take the necessary precautions so that we can compete in the spring.

 How has your transition been to an online class format?

The transition has been a little difficult, as it is a lot harder to focus in class with zoom. I am gradually getting more accustomed to having classes this way and the professors are doing a good job of keeping the students involved in class.

What messages has Coach Dan Braun communicated to you and the team regarding these tough times?

Coach Braun has been great with keeping us focused on improving our games and taking the right steps so that we can not only compete in the spring but compete at the highest level we can. We are all extremely blessed to have a coach who helps us with not only our golf but more importantly our progression in becoming better overall people as well.

What gives you encouragement and motivation during this time?

I am always motivated to work on my game so I can compete at the highest level, but I think with the talent of our team and our ability to be nationally-ranked really pushes me to contribute the most that I can. I also think that watching how certain professional golfers, such as Bryson DeChambeau, have taken the time off due to the pandemic to improve their bodies and game so that they can be the best in the world inspires me as well.

What positives have you taken away from everything that is happening in the world over the last several months?

Some positives I have taken over the last few months is that I have been able to work on not only my golf game but my ability to learn more about my major. Being an upperclassman comes with its responsibilities on the team and in the classroom. I felt like I have really worked on learning as much as possible so that I can set myself up for a great future in Business. It has also given me time to work on my perspective and attitude so I can set a positive example for the younger guys on the team.

What's it been like getting back to practice and seeing your teammates?

It has been awesome to see everyone on the team again every day. For being one of the smaller teams at IUP, our team is pretty widespread with respect to where we are from. We were able to connect through zoom over the spring and summer but being all together again is something that I definitely missed.

 How's your golf game coming along? What have you done since last spring to improve?

I feel like my game has improved a lot since our last tournament in the fall. I really started by getting my body where it needs to be after having back troubles over the last two years. I have worked a lot on my swing to make it more consistent with how I am striking the ball. I have worked the most on my putting though as it is the most important part of golf. I switched putters and my putting style to the armlock, which is becoming one of the most efficient ways of putting due to the fact that it eliminates many variables in the putting stroke. This might be the biggest change I have ever made with my golf game and I am really happy with how well it has gone so far and how much it can improve my overall scores.

You're going into your junior season and you've been part of two PSAC title teams. What is it like to be part of the most successful team in the conference and the one with the biggest target on its back?

I think it comes with its pros and cons as we feel like our talent from top to bottom is one of the programs in the country. However, we still need to go out and there and play the golf we all know we are capable of playing.

With the returning talent along with the incoming players, talk about your expectations and excitement for this year's team.

I am really excited to see where this team can go in the future. Our two freshman, Luke Lestini and Jeff Mankins have played with me in junior golf and I know they both have the ability to make a huge impact on the team. I am also really excited to see how the rest of the guys can continue to improve and give us the best chance to compete for a National Championship. I feel like our whole team connection is incredible with how well we get along and how we all want to see each other play the best golf. We all love to compete with each other, and it pushes us to become a better team all around.

You went to Washington, D.C. with fellow Eberly students last year. Talk about your trip and experiences.

I went to D.C. last October with my honors business cohort. I absolutely loved the trip as it gave my classmates and me the opportunity to learn about different opportunities we can pursue after graduation. I have a really great cohort and we have all gotten quite close as we have so many classes together. It is also nice that there are other athletes in the cohort from different teams that I can share similarities with. I think my favorite part of the trip was that I got to meet an IUP alum who works for the Washington Nationals. He took time out of his day to come to talk to us about what he does which was awesome. Some of my friends and I were able to go down by Nationals Park during the World Series, which for me growing up as a huge baseball fan was unreal. 

Do you have any plans or goals for after graduation?

Currently, I am looking for internships now for next summer in the fields of Finance and Accounting, so that I can get a good job in one of those fields after I graduate. My older brother and sister work in Investment Banking and Public Accounting respectively. I would love to get a job as they have upon graduation.

What advice do you give to your fellow Crimson Hawks?

I would just say to find a great group of friends in addition to your teammates. Our athletic director has done a great job getting the teams to connect and become closer to another. So I would highly suggest finding friends on other teams and becoming interested in their team's success. We have become close with the women's lacrosse team and it is really cool how much support our teams have for one another.

Why did you choose to attend IUP?

I chose IUP due to how successful the sports teams are here along with the great education offered specifically at the Eberly College of Business. I have a lot of family in Indiana as well, so it has always felt like a second home for me. My Mom also was a member of the 1988 National Championship Gymnastics team and the IUP Athletic Hall of Fame. With her being a role model of mine, I wanted to follow in her footsteps.