Golden Aztec Xander Schauffele

Aug. 4, 2021

Add another thrilling accomplishment to the long list of incredible athletic performances by Aztec alumni. This week former SDSU golfer Xander Schauffele (’15) captured golf’s gold medal.

The achievement was made even more special by the fact that he was accompanied and assisted throughout by his friend, former Aztec teammate, and now caddie Austin Kaiser (’14). If you haven’t seen it, there’s a great story in the summer edition of SDSU Magazine that I highly recommend. You can check out the digital version online.

It hasn’t been that long since they were teammates here on the Mesa. Yet here they were, these Aztecs, this time before the entire world, working together as they always have since their student days to win a championship. Only this victory was on the biggest possible stage before their largest possible audience. And they came through in a way that would make any red-blooded SDSU fan proud.

After a nail-biting finish that earned Schauffele his Olympic gold medal, he stood as the anthem played in a moment of glory many of us have fantasized about, but will only ever be able to imagine. It was truly inspiring.

And the thing is, both of these young men probably are not that much different from most of the students who, in a few short weeks, will be repopulating SDSU’s campuses: They set goals and pursue them. They work hard and get better. They prove that success is possible at the highest level for those who fully dedicate themselves to achieving it.

I am so proud of what Schauffele and Kaiser have worked together to achieve. An Olympic gold medal is outstanding. But it also reminds me that there are hundreds of thousands of SDSU Alumni all over the world who achieve great successes as well. They may not receive medals or have anthems played for them, but they are winners just the same. And knowing that makes me proud, too.