Twenty-one years ago, Chandler Longfellow came into this world as a distant relative to the great American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and was named after a classic television character, “Chandler Bing.” But Chandler Longfellow’s passion doesn’t lie within the arts, but rather sport.

Longfellow, son of Dan and Susan Longfellow of Wiscasset, is an outstanding collegiate golfer at Division III school Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. Last year, he was the top-scoring individual in the Mid Atlantic Conference tournament and led his team to qualifying for the Division III National Championship in Orlando, Florida. Longfellow typically drives the ball 315 yards off the tee and is known for his ball-striking ability. But the 2014 Wiscasset High School graduate is also an outstanding student. Last year, Longfellow was named to the MAC’s All-Academic Team as a junior.

He is studying sports management with a minor in business administration. After graduation, he is looking to pursue a field related to golf. “I definitely want to stay in the golfing world,” he said. “Either on the course as a head pro, or working for a company like Titleist or TaylorMade.”

Longfellow is hoping to make his last season as a collegiate golfer a memorable one. His goals are repeating as MAC individual champion, maintaining a scoring average below 75 strokes per round, and winning multiple tournaments. The collegiate golf season is already in full swing. In the fall, collegiate teams typically compete in five tournaments then have a winter break. In the spring, teams begin preparation for the conference and national championship tournaments.

Longfellow began playing golf as a youngster by hitting a few balls on the Sheepscot Links Golf Club in Whitefield with his dad. He didn’t own his golf clubs until he was 12. And he didn’t decide golf was his favorite activity until he began playing another fall sport.

“I wasn’t that passionate about it, until one day as a sixth grader, I was trying out for the soccer team. I didn’t feel like running that much. So I’ve grown into it, and love the sport because it’s so challenging physically and mentally,” Longfellow said.

As a high school golfer, Longfellow experienced individual and team success. As a senior, he shot a 76 in the State Class C tournament which placed him second five shots behind the leader. The Wolverines finished second in the Mountain Valley Conference and fourth in the state tournament.

Longfellow considered eight colleges before deciding on Manhattanville College which is about 45 miles from New York City. Longfellow liked the school’s academic program and the collegiate golf coach impressed him.

“It was a good fit for me. I wanted to play collegiate golf and it has the sports management program I was interested in. And my brother lives in Queens. So it has really worked out for me,” he said.

As far as his unique name goes, his family has a couple of  original books of poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. His parents, but especially his mother, was a big fan of the television series “Friends.”