IU’s Campillo receives top Big Ten honor

Success breeds more success.
That is the theme for IU men’s golfer Jorge Campillo, who has earned a trophy room full of accolades with the Hoosiers and is the driving force behind the team’s impressive national ranking.
The 6-foot-1-inch junior from Caceres, Spain’s play has led the Hoosiers to a ranking of No. 23, second best in the Big Ten.
But Campillo said despite his accomplishments he thinks he can get better.
“You always want to improve as a golfer and not stop (t)here,” Campillo said. “You want to do even better and win more tournaments.”
Individually he has earned several honors since joining IU, with the pinnacle coming recently when he was named Big Ten Golfer of the Year and ranked as the 14th-best player in college golf, according to www.golfweek.com.
His success began from day one of his freshman year when he was unanimously named Freshman of the Year and earned first-team All-Big Ten honors.
IU coach Mike Mayer complimented him as a leader and said he is a great all-around Hoosier.
“He has been the No. 1 player on our golf team for three years,” Mayer said. “First and foremost, though, he is an outstanding human being and bleeds cream and crimson.”
His accomplishments did not stop his freshman year, as Campillo was again named first-team All-Big Ten his sophomore year and qualified as an individual for NCAA Central Regional. These awards led to him being selected to compete in the Palmer Cup as a representative for Europe for the summer of 2007.
Campillo’s teammate and fellow junior Drew Allenspach was complimentary of everything Campillo has accomplished.
“He is great, and an unbelievable player and is very patient,” Allenspach said. “He has unbelievable talent and is not afraid to play against anyone.”
Currently, Campillo is on a hot streak, winning the last three tournaments in which the Hoosiers have competed. These tournaments were the April 7 Missouri Tiger Intercollegiate, the April 19 Boilermaker Invitational and the Big Ten Championships on April 25.
Mayer thinks all this success will eventually lead to Campillo playing professional golf.
“There is no doubt in my mind that Jorge will play professionally and be very successful,” Meyer said.