It was from a message sent over 4,000 miles from his parents in his home country of Germany that freshman Moritz Ackerhans first learned he had been named Big East Men’s Golfer of the Week.”It’s great,” said Ackerhans of the honor. “I mean it was my third tournament. I didn’t expect to get second [place]. Big East is a big thing and it’s nice to be golfer of the week.”

After shooting rounds of 69, 69 and 73, totaling 211 (-5), Ackerhans landed in a tie for second place at the Spring Break Championship in Delray Beach, Fla. on March 25-27and tallied the best single-round total, best 54-hole total and best finish of the team this season.

With just three collegiate tournaments under his belt, focus is key to Ackerhans’ success.

“[I] try to keep the same focus like in practice,” said Ackerhans, who prepares for each round by doing every shot, short game before long game. “I try to get not excited and just stay calm, stay focused and try to repeat what I did in practice. And that’s why I was playing pretty good in the last tournament because I tried to stay calm and be patient.”

Ackerhans, who joined the team at the beginning of the 2011 spring season, finished 53rd in the Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate on Feb. 21 to 22. He had a score of 234 (+18) and tied for 45th at the USF Invitational on March 4 to 6 shooting six-over par.

“You know, he’s so new to the team and to come in and to I think have, play to his potential more, I think it just elevates everything.it elevates everybody,” said Head Coach Betty Kaufmann.

Junior Ben Westley echoed Kaufmann’s thoughts, emphasizing the effect that Ackerhans’ Big East recognition has on the team.

“To get recognized by the conference, other players in the conference know we’re playing well,” Westley said. “And the fact that [Ackerhans] played well obviously helps out. When somebody finishes second in a tournament your team score is going to be a lot lower so that helped a lot.”

The honor was given after Ackerhans led the Blue Demons to their highest finish this season, placing sixth with a team total of 871 (+7), just one shot shy of fifth place.

Russell Budd and Ben Westley tied for 33rd after finishing five-over par with a score of 221. Charles Boucher and Maximilian Mayer took 40th and 44th, respectively.

“When you’re in contention you’re constantly striving to stay there,” Kaufmann said. “The team finally I think this week and I think they’d agree, especially Ben, I think it’s the first time that everybody played. Everybody played more to their potential.

She continued: “Could we have played a little bit better? You can always play better. But they hung in there and I think the hardest thing is, sometimes when you go shoot 69, 68, is to go do it again and then go do it again.They’re all capable of shooting 69, but it’s how do you follow it and how do you stay in contention.”

For Westley, the team’s recent achievements have served as a way for them rise up and build their confidence levels.

“I think it’s just confidence,” Westley said. “It just feels kind of-cocky’s not the right word, but it makes you feel like you can do this again and, you know, we’re good. Whereas before you’re kind of under the shadows and when you’re not playing as well it’s kind of easy to get down on yourself, but when something like this happens it kind of uplifts you.”

Westley also credits the team’s success to maintaining focus the past two weeks and practicing hard. As the weather turns warmer, the team can head outdoors to work on everything from tight lies and special shots to their short game.

“We get a lot more short game and because we have our facility out at Ruffled Feathers and you can see how the ball reacts when it hits a target whereas in the dome you’re kind of just hitting it to a wall,” Westley said. “It’s nice to be able to hit to a hole. I think mentally it prepares you better for playing on the golf course. And then also we can play the course so that helps.”

And if it’s raining?

“If it’s drizzling we’ll probably go out because this week we could be playing in the rain, so you might as well practice,” Kaufmann said. “I wouldn’t keep them out there a long time, but I keep them out in cold and rain just to do certain things because you gotta play in it.”

According to Kaufmann, it’s the players’ diligence in practice that has pushed them closer to the top.

“They’ve stuck to processes, they’ve done stuff and they’ve challenged themselves and so then to go and be recognized and have a good finish and for Ackerhans to get the Big East player, I think it just adds to the confidence of the team right now,” said Kaufmann.

She adding that the timing is good, since the team is preparing for the Big East Championship on April 17 to 19 in Palm Harbor, Fla.

When asked about the team’s goals at the Big East, Kaufmann replied quickly and simply.

“Win it,” she said, before asking the players what they thought, receiving approving laughs in return.

“The Big East has been, Notre Dame has always been up there. They’re beatable. We’ve beaten Notre Dame,” Kaufmann said. “Every team right now, it’s kind of like college basketball, the parity is there. Everybody’s is beatable. You just gotta go out and play and do what you know how to do.

“I go in, you want to win, but you still have to take it shot to shot and give yourself a chance and sink some putts. We have the opportunity to win.