(Ellwood City, PA) A golf outing whose proceeds benefit Butler County Community College raised Aug. 1 the second-highest amount in its 30-year history, introduced to its 31 competing teams an opportunity to capitalize on the accuracy of a BC3 All-American and presented to the winning squad the Champions Cup only after a tiebreaker.

The BC3 Education Foundation event at Olde Stonewall Golf Club near Ellwood City generated $110,000 in unrestricted funds.

Squads in the scramble format could pay $20 to purchase an orange ball to be driven on a par-3 hole by Jacob Marquardt, a BC3 student-athlete who earned the prestigious postseason award in golf in June.

First National Bank received its second consecutive Champions Cup after winning a tiebreaker against the Alliance for Nonprofit Resources. Each team finished regulation at 15-under on the par-70 course, but First National Bank had posted a lower total on a scorecard playoff.

The BC3 Education Foundation in 30 golf outings has raised approximately $1.56 million in unrestricted funds, including a record $115,000 in 2021.

"This is a great event. I'm so happy they could raise ($110,000) just today to help the students of BC3. I know they have a far outreach." 

- Josh Miller, First National Bank team

“BC3 has always done so much for the community,” said Kyle Hilfiger, a branch manager for Farmers National Bank of Canfield, Ohio, which was the title sponsor of the golf outing for the 15th consecutive year.

“This is such a good cause. When you hear about what the funds go to as a sponsor, you feel good about it.”

Unrestricted funds support BC3 resources such as adult literacy, a food pantry, training for first responders, the college’s community opioid addiction recovery program and BC3’s College Within the High School program.

“Initiatives like that allow us to go beyond academics,” said Mikayla Moretti, executive director of the BC3 Education Foundation and external relations. “Obviously our role is to provide education, but it is so much more than that.

“With unrestricted funds we can help our students to put food in their fridge, gasoline in their car through emergency grants or help them with their electric bill. Things that help them to stay enrolled and stay successful at BC3.”

“This is a great event”

Josh Miller was a member of the First National Bank team with Jason Averill, Eric Ives and Todd Garrett.

“This,” Miller said, “is a great event. I’m so happy they could raise ($110,000) just today to help the students of BC3. I know they have a far outreach.”

Miller and Averill were members of a First National Bank squad that in 2024 also won the Champions Cup, a 27-inch-high trophy resembling the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup and donated to the foundation in 2019 by Kelly and John Giles, owners of Butler Business Systems, Butler. Kelly Giles is a director on the BC3 Education Foundation board.

The Alliance for Nonprofit Resources’ Rob Rentz, Jacob Grumski, Cody Slater and Nelson Johnson placed second after winning the Champions Cup in 2023.

International Quality Consultants’ Bill James, Dave Mattioni, Doug Bell and Bill Norris were third at 14-under.

Marquardt “did fabulous … He just nailed it”

By finishing in the Top 18 in June at the National Junior College Athletic Association national championship tournament in Chautauqua, N.Y., Marquardt and BC3’s Taylor Voloch earned All-American status.

Voloch and Bill Miller, the college’s golf coach, sold orange balls to teams for Marquardt to drive for them on the 143-yard No. 14.

“That was a great idea to do that,” Josh Miller said.

“It was awesome to see that,” Hilfiger said.

“They seemed very excited to get to meet us and interact with the people who got to go to nationals,” Voloch said.

Megan M. Coval, the college’s president, echoed Voloch.

“I was thrilled to have our student-athletes join us — especially given their success on the golf course during their time at BC3,” Coval said. “It added such a meaningful touch. Guests had the chance to meet them, connect with them on the course, and see firsthand how deeply they care about BC3.”

 Twenty-eight of 31 teams enlisted Marquardt. His drives stopped on the green 27 times — including one 6 inches from the pin.

“(Marquardt) did fabulous,” said Ben Rhoads, a member of a Cleveland Cliffs foursome participating in the golf outing for the first time. “He came within 6 feet of the pin. He just nailed it. I was hoping I could follow up with the same kind of shot. But I didn’t.”

“Only one person hit it inside of what I did,” Marquardt said. “I think everyone really enjoyed it and took advantage of it. And I tried to hit the best shot I could for them.”

Jeff Politano, Corbett Inc., won closest to the pin on No. 5 at 15 feet, 3 inches; Dominic Oliver, NexTier Bank, on No. 7 at 3 feet, 1 inch; Josh Fye, Farmers National Bank, on No. 14 at 7 feet, 6 inches; and Ethan Martin, UPMC Horizon, on No. 15 at 3 feet, 8 inches.

Cory Werth, a member of a second International Quality Consultants team, won the longest drive on No. 10 and Josh Halin, Tudi Mechanical Systems, the longest putt on No. 18. Chris Esper, UPMC Horizon, won the putting contest.

John Kearns, Mike Hook, Phil Kearns and Sam Kearns, of Enviro Testing and Solutions, the 10th-place squad, were also awarded in recognition of BC3 having been selected as the No. 1 community college in Pennsylvania 10 times, most recently for 2025 by Niche.com.