Cyclone golfer Matt Lewis has had one busy month.

In that time he has found a new school, some classes to take, a place to live and has been the lowest individual scorer on the golf squad in each of the first three meets.

For Lewis, the move from Minnesota to Iowa State was a quick one, but a good one.

“It happened at the last minute. The transaction was fast,” Lewis said.

He said he still had an apartment lined up in the Minneapolis area and he had registered for classes just three days before the start of the school year.

But after the adjustment from the big city of Minneapolis to small-town life of Ames, Lewis said that he is satisfied with his decision.

“It was difficult, but rewarding,” he said.

He said, “I enjoyed the big city,” but also enjoys the uniqueness of Ames.

ISU’s coaching change over the summer was a key factor to Lewis in his decision to transfer and play for the cardinal and gold.

“What brought me to Iowa State was Coach Bermel,” he said.

Jamie Bermel recruited Lewis while he was the head coach at Drake, but Lewis wasn’t interested in ISU or Drake at that point in his career.

“I wanted to look away from [Iowa],” he said.

However, citing that he needed a coach that was more his style, and also seeing the opportunity to be a team leader, Lewis made the switch.

Bermel was pleased with his acquisition. “Matt is a very solid player” and “he is an extremely hard worker,” he said.

Bermel said he was confident that Lewis was “going to fill the void” left from last year’s graduating class as well as the void left by Jason Knutzon’s decision to redshirt this fall so he could play as a fifth-year senior.

And so far, Lewis has done his share.

Lewis had a storybook high school career as a golfer at Dubuque Hempstead High School.

His accolades include being a four-time all-Mississippi Valley Conference golfer, a three-time conference champion, and a second-place showing at the state golf meet as a senior.

This desire for competition shows in his goals.

“I try to win every meet. I hope to get a few wins under my belt,” Lewis said. “I’ve been in competition so far. I’m happy with that.”

His team goals include winning or contending for the Big 12 title, qualifying for regionals and ultimately for the NCAA tournament.

Lewis is enthusiastic about his team’s chances.

“The sky’s the limit for us,” he said.

One of the things Lewis enjoys about Division I golf is the competition.

“Every day is a true test to your ability,” he said.

His greatest joy, however, is the camaraderie of the game, he said.

“I love the team aspect of the game. I love meeting the guys on my team and other teams,” he said. “I’ve played competitively all of my life, and it’s nice to see familiar faces.

“Day in, day out, whether it’s with the team or the different teams at the meet, it’s a lot of fun,” he said.

Lewis his future goals include trying to make it professionally in the world of golf.

“I’m definitely going to give it a shot. It’s a dream to play competitively,” he said.

He pointed out that he wants to eliminate any “what-ifs” from his future plans, and that he will know what his chances of making the tour are next year.

If that doesn’t work out, he would like to become either a collegiate golf coach or a golf pro, he said.

Overall, he feels that the team is pulling together.

“The first weeks were a learning experience for me,” Lewis noted. “But we’ve gotten over that stage. We’re going to gel.”