February 10, 2025
By ScoutU Staff

The college recruiting process can be a rollercoaster filled with highs and lows. For Caleb Kern, patience was the key as he evaluated all his options. Last month, Kern took a visit to South Dakota State University and decided to make it his home for the next 4 years.

“It’s an incredible achievement and an exciting milestone!” Caleb’s mom Michelle said. “It’s a testament to his hard work and dedication. It is an amazing feeling to watch him reach this level, knowing all the effort he’s put in over the years. From early morning practices to long tournaments, this is a big accomplishment.”

Last summer, Kern broke 70 numerous times, including wins at the PGA Great Lakes Series-Tippecanoe (70-68) and the Wisconsin JPGA Janesville Riverside Tournament (68), along with a second-place finish (69-77) at the Whistling Straits College Showcase.

“It was interesting watching Caleb explore a wide variety of schools across different levels and discover what he liked and didn’t like about each school – campus, buildings, school size, class size, environment, how interactive and friendly people seemed,” Kern said. “We were impressed by his patience throughout the process. He didn’t rush or feel pressured, and he stayed true to himself in making his decision.”

Since joining ScoutU 1 year ago, Kern developed into one of the best golfers in the Midwest. He had about 20 serious exchanges with colleges and received multiple offers. Kern capped his junior season by winning an individual title at the WIAA D2 State Championship.

“We couldn’t be more excited about Caleb joining us next fall,” SDSU coach Parker Edens said. “Caleb is the best player in the 2025 class from Wisconsin. He has a high-level work ethic and athletic background. Caleb’s ceiling is extremely high as a Jackrabbit!”

Kern pointed to the professionalism of the coaching staff and the program structure as primary reasons that he chose South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits are one of the top teams in the Summit League and regularly compete against power conferences like the Big Ten.

“I had a number of college coaches reach out to me regarding Caleb,” ScoutU’s Jon Feyen said. “He put together such a fantastic year on the golf course. But I was really impressed by his maturity. Caleb got a ton of interest, which allowed him to do his research and really discover what school matched his goals. I can’t wait to see him thrive at the next level!”

With Kern’s talent and dedication, there was little doubt that he would play in college. But what Caleb and his parents wanted was to make sure they explored all possibilities and left no stone unturned.

“ScoutU provided increased exposure and more opportunities, while simplifying a challenging and overwhelming process,” Michelle Kern said. “Jon was extremely helpful in teaching Caleb how to communicate effectively with coaches.”