Minnesota Duluth
Lee Kolquist was born in Duluth, Minn. on Sept. 21, 1958. He enrolled in his hometown university in 1978. And by the time he completed his degree in Business Administration in 1981, the University of Minnesota-Duluth had a heralded three-time all-american to add to its list of prominent alumni. Kolquist, who was a two-sport athlete (baseball and golf) at UMD, was a three-time men’s golf all-american (NAIA in 1980 and NCAA Division II in 1980 and 1981). He earned All-NIC honors three consecutive seasons (1978-1980) and was the NIC individual champion in 1978. Kolquist two-day total 151 (74-77) led the Bulldogs within two strokes of NIC champion Bemidji State (407-392=799) at the Northland Country Club in Duluth, Minn. In 1979, he helped the Bulldogs capture the NIC title as he tied for sixth place (74-79=153) at Portage Lake Golf Course in Houghton, Mich. Kolquist and his teammates recorded a two-day total 760 (383-377) to finish eight strokes ahead of Saint Cloud State (Minn.). UMD secured another runner-up finish in the 1980 NIC championship held at the Alexandria (Minn.) Country Club. The Bulldogs were nine shots off the pace as Mankato State (Minn.) earned the team title and Kolquist tied for fourth, shooting a three-day total 229 (77-76-76). Kolquist carried his NIC success into NAIA postseason competition, earning medalist (first place) honors at the 1979 NAIA District 13 Men’s Golf Championship Tournament. He went on to compete in the 1980 NAIA national tournament, finishing 11th and leading UMD to a 14th place team finish. In 1981, Kolquist achieved ninth-place as an individual and the Bulldogs recorded their highest-ever team finish (5th) at the NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championships. In total, Kolquist won 12 tournaments during his collegiate career. Over the past 30 years, he has competed in nine U.S. Amateur Golf Championships. As for his UMD baseball career, he was a three-year letterman and led all Bulldog pitchers in ERA (2.16) in 1979. Kolquist was inducted in the UMD Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993. He is currently the Vice President of Corporate Strategy for Leading Solutions, Inc. Lee and his wife, Anne, reside in Geneva, Ill.