BURNSVILLE, Minn. - Winona State University was picked to win the NSIC in the preseason men's golf coaches' poll. The Warriors, the reigning NSIC Championships from 2019, received five first place votes (coaches cannot vote for their own team) and tallied 73 points to rank ahead of Concordia-St. Paul, which tallied 62 points and one first place vote. Sioux Falls was third with 60 points and a first place vote, while Bemidji State was fourth with 58 points and two first place votes. Minnesota State rounded out the top five as the Mavericks had 51 points and the other first place vote. 

Sioux Falls JJ Cooney was voted by the league coaches as the NSIC Men's Golf Preseason Golfer of the Year. Cooney is a three-time All-NSIC selection. He had three top-10 finishes in 2019-20 and has 16 top-10 finishes in his career with five top-five finishes and an individual title.

The 2020-21 NSIC men's golf schedule will commence in March after competition was canceled last fall.  

The three-round NSIC Men’s Golf Championship will take place this spring on April 16-18 at Shoal Creek Golf Course in Kansas City, Missouri.

• Three-time All-NSIC golfer
• Had three top-10 finishes in 2019-20 and has 16 top-10 finishes in his career with five top-five finishes and an individual title
• Twice led USF to eighth place finishes at the NSIC Championships with a fifth place team finish in 2018-19
• In his career, has made 5,454 shots in 73 rounds for a 74.71 career stroke average
• 2019-20 USF Male Athlete of the Year

Preseason Previews & Golfers to Watch

AUGUSTANA UNIVERSITY

The 2020-21 Augustana men’s golf team returns a veteran roster of eight golfers with four juniors, one senior and three newcomers. The Vikings also return their lead golfer from the 2019-20 season in now-junior Jacob Lee. Lee, hailing from Parkston, South Dakota, shot 14 rounds of golf last season and led the Vikings in average strokes per round with 76.86 while recording three top-10 finishes and two top-five finishes in six events. 

Juniors Sam Sutcliffe (79.36 strokes per round with one top-10 finish), Alex Stanz (79.62  strokes per round) and Hunter Von Bergen (82.55 strokes per round) and senior Sam Mock (83.00 strokes per round) fill out the rest of the returning Vikings. Cullen Johnson (Apple Valley, Minn.), Jordan Slagle (New Hope, Minn.) and Spencer Wittstruck (Sioux Falls, S.D.) will debut in 2020-21 for Augustana. 

The Vikings are set to compete in five regular-season events, starting on March 5, before the NSIC Championships in Kansas City, Missouri take place on April 16. Those events the Vikings are scheduled to compete in are: the Jackrabbit Invitational on March 5 in Boulder City, Nevada, Warrior Invitational on March 8 in Las Vegas, Nevada, NSIC Preview Invitational on March 29 in Kansas City, Missouri, Upper Iowa meet on March 29 in Waterloo, Iowa and Central Missouri Mule Invitational on April 5 in Warrensburg, Missouri. 

• Competed in six events and 13 rounds of golf on the season
• Averaged 79.62 strokes per round
• Shot a season low round of 72 in the second round at the Augustana Invite

BEMIDJI STATE UNIVERSITY

The Bemidji State University men’s golf team was selected to finish fourth in the NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll after receiving 58 points and two first place votes. The Beavers return 10 letterwinners from 2019-20 after their fall 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19. Bemidji State Preseason Player to Watch Chris Swenson returns for his redshirt senior season after tying for second on the team and 12th in the NSIC with a 74.0 scoring average in 14 rounds. Bemidji State will have four seniors on the team in Swenson, Tanner Sperling, Brandon Nelson and Aaron Schnathorst. The Beavers have also added three freshmen to the squad in Max Karnik, Koby Kuenzel and Jack Southard. The Beavers begin the fall season March 29-30 at the Central Region Preview at the Shoal Creek Golf Course in Kansas City, Mo. BSU will play in three events during the spring before competing in the NSIC Championship April 16-18.

• Competed in six events and 14 rounds for the Beavers
• Finished the season with a scoring average of 74.0 to tie for second on the team and tie for 12th in the NSIC
• Tied for second and shot a career-low 138 (69-69) at the King's Walk Invite
• Tied for ninth with a score of 139 (69-70) at the Kentucky Wesleyan Fall Invite
• Tied for the team lead with four top-20 finishes during the season
• Tied for second on the team with four rounds par or under

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY, ST. PAUL

The Concordia-St Paul men’s golf team enters the 2021 spring season with high aspirations. Coming off a shortened 2020 spring season, the Golden Bears are anxious to get back out on the course and prove themselves. In the 2019 fall season, the Bears got off to a solid start with a fifth place finish out of 15 teams at the JR Watkins Invite hosted by Winona State. They also capped off the fall season on a strong note, taking first place out of seven teams at the Blue Tiger Invitational hosted by Lincoln University. In their lone spring appearance last season at the Warrior Vegas Invite, the Bears took home sixth place out of 11 teams. Among the golfers to watch for the men’s team is senior Taylor Zack. Last season, Zack averaged a team-best 73.56 strokes per round and had five rounds under par. He had his best round of the season at the JR Watkins Invite, shooting a 141 (-3) in 36 holes and tying his best individual round of 70 strokes. This year’s team is made up of a solid mix of returners and newcomers as all eight golfers from last season will return while also adding four new freshmen to the mix. The Bears will get their season rolling at the Hillcat Classic hosted by Rogers State (Okla.) on March 15 and 16.

• Played 16 rounds, averaging 73.56 strokes per round, best on the team
• Had five rounds under par, also best on the team 
• Shot a 141 (-3) in 36 holes, tying his best individual round of 70 strokes in the Watkins Invitational
• Named to the NSIC Spring All-Academic Team.

UNIVERSITY OF MARY

The University of Mary men’s golf team returns to the NCAA after a 12-year hiatus from competition. Michael Herzog, a four-time collegiate coach of the year and a former NCAA Division I golfer and coach, will look to lead the UMary men’s golf program to greater heights. During his four-year tenure as head coach at Bismarck State College (BSC) from 2013 to 2017, Herzog led the Mystics men’s and women’s golf teams to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) championships. During that span, Herzog was a three-time NJCAA Regional Women’s Coach of the Year and a one-time Regional Men’s Coach of the Year.

Julia Bagnell joins the Marauders as an assistant coach after competing for the Idaho State University (ISU) women’s golf team from 2009 to 2013. As a volunteer coach for her alma mater in 2016, she helped lead the Bengals at the Big Sky Conference Championships.

Sophomore Cody Brunner was named as the University of Mary player to watch in men’s golf. Brunner finished 4th in the state of Montana during his senior year. 

Joining Brunner in returning to the Marauders is senior Mason Huntley, juniors Ben Wilson and Cole Gendreau, and sophomore Zach Johnson.

Coach Herzog and his staff have brought in new additions to the roster. Four freshmen join UMary as James Gillis, Tyce Halter, Jonah Laundergan and Alex Wilson will look to make an immediate impact for the Marauders. 

• Finished 4th in State in his senior year
• Averaged 74.4 per round senior year of high school
• Shot personal best in Bozeman invitational at Bridger Creek with a 71

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA CROOKSTON

The UMN Crookston men's golf team is looking to build on their improvement from the 2019-20 season. The Golden Eagles finished the season with a strong performance at the Embry-Riddle Invitational. UMN Crookston had a season-low round of 303 in the first round in Arizona. Minnesota Crookston returns their core from the 2019-20 season led by Connor Humble. Humble held an average of 76.7 last season with a season-low 72 at both the J.R. Watkins Invite and the UMN Crookston/King's Walk Invite. The Golden Eagles also bring back the majority of their roster from last year including Keegan Poppenberg, Dillon Sannes, Ben Trostad, Matt Moroz, Brian Bekkala, and Spencer Harvey. UMN Crookston adds in Cade Pederson, who redshirted last season, and newcomers Boede Guza and Spencer Dahlquist. Minnesota Crookston will open the season March 22-23 at the Washburn University Invite in Topeka, Kan. 

• Averaged a 76.7 to lead all UMN Crookston golfers in 2019-20
• Shot season-lows of 72 at both the J.R. Watkins Invite and the UMN Crookston/King's Walk Invite
• Was a Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar-Athlete in 2019-20
• placed in the Top 20 at the NSIC Tournament as both a freshman and sophomore

MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY, MANKATO

It’ll be a young group of Mavericks competing for the Minnesota State men’s golf team in 2020-21.  Expected to lead Minnesota State will be junior Ben Laffen and sophomore Hunter Rebrovich.  Laffen, a Sleepy Eye, Minn., native, saw action in 13 rounds in 2019-20 and averaged 75.4 for the year.   Rebrovich, who hails from Alexandria, Minn., played in 14 rounds as a freshman in 2019-20 and averaged 75.1 in his first year of college golf. 

Kaleb Johnson in a sophomore from Lakeville, Minn., and is joined by a trio of freshman hoping to see action this spring in Simon Cuskey (Rice Lake, Minn.), Ben Hauge (Ramsey, Minn.) and Anthony Asta (Eagan, Minn.)

Minnesota State, which has won eight of the last 12 Northern Sun Intercollegiate men’s golf championships, is slated to start the season March 22-23 at the Washburn Invitational.

• Played 14 rounds for the Mavericks as a freshman and averaged 75.1 for the year
• Shot a career-low 67 at the Holiday Inn Express Classic
• Tied for 10th at the MSSU Fall Invitational (68-74=142)

MINOT STATE UNIVERSITY

The Minot State men’s golf team looks to hit the ground running on March 22 in the Washburn Invite.  Senior Cody Reynolds; junior Andrew Makarchuk; and sophomore Travis Smith return as three of the experienced members of the team looking to lead the Beavers into a new season. 

The men’s golf team had its 2020 postseason canceled due to the pandemic but have been working hard in the offseason looking to duplicate some results from last season. The Beavers won the Bemidji State Invitational with Cody Reynolds leading the way as he shot 72 on both days of action to tie for 2nd place. 

MSU will be looking for returners and newcomers to step up and fill the shoes of leaders who left the program after last season like Matthew Bean and Carson Harcourt. Makarchuk was able to spend some of his summer competing in tournaments up in Canada and will bring a new edge to the Beavers golf team in 2021. 

The Beavers are scheduled to play four regular-season golf tournaments prior to the NSIC Championships that begin on Apr. 16 and run through Apr. 18. 

• Played in five events and posted one top-five finish and another top-ten event
• Shot even par with rounds of 72 and 72 at the Bemidji Invitational (9/10/19) on his way to a t-2nd finish and a Beaver team title
• Placed t-6th at the Flyer Men's Intercollegiate tournament (10/1/19).

UNIVERSITY OF SIOUX FALLS

The University of Sioux Falls Men's Golf Team, which returns nearly its entire squad from a year ago, been picked to finish third in 2020-21 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. The Cougars, which moved up two spots from the preseason coaches rankings of 2019-20 and received a first place vote, will be led by NSIC Preseason Player of the Year JJ Cooney, a senior from Pickstown, S.D., who became USF's first ever three-time All-NSIC selection in 2018-19. “As a whole, I am excited to see what this team is able to accomplish this spring. They have really come together and bought into achieving our team goals,” said USF Head Coach Tavia Rutherford. “The competitive mindset on and off the course will continue to build our championship culture for years to come.  The Cougars, which finished fifth at the last NSIC Golf Championship in 2018-19, return experience and welcome several talented newcomers. A year ago USF had three top-three finishes and five performances with a top-seven placement before the Co-VID 19 pandemic closed down the season. The Cougars, which won the Augustana Invite in September, 2019, return their top five that averaged between 73-78 per round. Cooney, who won a title with two-to five finishes and five top10, was at 73.54 while Jack Evans had two top 10 results and a 74.08 averaged while Jacob Zosel won a title and had a top five finish with a 75.53 average. Brenden Bassing had a top five finish and overall 76.0 average. As a team, the Cougars averaged 298.15, which was a seven stroke improvement from the previous year.   Nine times in 13 rounds, USF was a sub-300.  USF opens the season on March 1-2 at the Natural State Golf Classic at the Greystone Country Club in Cabot, Arkansas.

• Three-time All-NSIC golfer
• Had three top-10 finishes in 2019-20 and has 16 top-10 finishes in his career with five top-five finishes and an individual title
• Twice led USF to eighth place finishes at the NSIC Championships with a fifth place team finish in 2018-19
• in his career, has made 5,454 shots in 73 rounds for a 74.71 career stroke average
• 2019-20 USF Male Athlete of the Year

UPPER IOWA UNIVERSITY

The Peacock men’s golf team can’t wait to get back onto the course this spring after going without a competitive round since Oct. 15, 2019. Upper Iowa played in ten rounds in the fall of 2019 which included a second-place finish among 18 teams at the Flyer Intercollegiate Tournament at Cog Hill Golf Club. The team returns a ton of experience including NSIC Golfer to Watch Chris Cooksley and NSIC Elite 18 Award recipient Logan Schweinefus. Cooksley and Schweinefus have been the backbone of the squad over the last few years. The pair, along with returner Will Babcock played in all ten rounds in 2019, while Nolan Leaton played in eight and Jordan Hubbs played in seven. Cooksley posted the low average on the team at 74.2 to hold a slight edge over Schweinefus, who notched a 74.6 average. Babcock came in with an average of 75.9 to round out the Peacock top trio. 

• Named to All-NSIC Second Team and NSIC All-Academic Team last year
• Played seven rounds and averaged the second lowest average round on the team with 74.6 strokes per 18 holes
• Carded a low round of 72

WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY

Head men’s golf coach Jeff Straight welcomes back a balanced Warrior squad with veteran experience and new talent in what promises to be an exciting Winona State men’s golf season.  Leading the core returners is Matthew Chandler (Chester, Nova Scotia), who had a strong 2020 season rolling last year before the Covid-19 pandemic halted spring sports. Joining Chandler is Abraham Elmore (Mesa, Ariz.) and Dylan Brown (Reedsburg, Wis).  Together as leaders for Straight, they look to help Winona State compete among the nation’s elite golf programs. 

On the recruiting front, Straight landed a trio of freshman featuring Markus Iwerbo (Norrkoping, Sweden), Stanford Swid (Mosinee, Wis.) and Bennett Thomas (Lakeville, Minn.).  All three new faces bring impressive resumes and raise the standard of play in the program.  A highlight of the 2020 campaign was the team earning a No. 5 nod in the NCAA Central Region men’s golf ranking in mid-February. At the time, the Warriors had carded some impressive performances, winning one event, taking runner-up status in another, while finishing in the top-5 as a team on four occasions. 

A tough early season slate should test the Warrior program.  Hosting their own Warrior Invitational in Las Vegas in early March kicks of the spring season. WSU will also travel to Topeka, Kan., Kansas City and Warrensburg, Mo. as well as Muskogee, Okla., in search of strong playing fields.  Winona State will compete in the NSIC championships on April 16-18, with an eye on qualifying for the NCAA Regionals, set for May 6-8.  Both the NSIC and NCAA events will be in Kansas City, Mo. 

• Transfer from Southwest Baptist University (Missouri)
• Finished 42nd at the 2019 MIAA Championships after shooting rounds of 83-76-77