EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Golf is heading back to the NCAA II Championships for the first time as a team since 2000, where the Screaming Eagles placed 17th at the NCAA Division II North Regional. USI has also sent four individual qualifiers to the tournament since 2000, the most recent being Logan Osborne in 2013. The Eagles will play in the NCAA II Midwest/Central Regional at Purgatory Golf Club in Noblesville, Indiana on May 5-7.
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USI earned an at-large bid after finishing fifth in the final Midwest Regional rankings after making it to the semifinals of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships for the first time in school history. The Eagles finished third in tournament play after shooting an 880 (+16), but they would fall in match play in the semifinals to the University of Indianapolis, 3-0-2.
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The top three teams along with the top two individuals not with a team from each regional (regardless of region) will advance to the NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championships, which is May 16-20 at TPC Michigan in Dearborn, Michigan. USI can also earn an at-large bid into the final if they finish outside of the top three.
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Freshman Jason Bannister (Laguna Niguel, California) leads the Eagles this spring, posting a 73.78 shots per round average (spra). Bannister led the way for USI in the GLVC Championships, finishing tied for fourth after carding a 215 (-1) and was named to the All-Conference First Team.
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Bannister is joined by a diverse group of Eagles, featuring fellow freshman Nathan Hoss (Evansville, Indiana), sophomore Jace Day (Bloomington, Indiana), junior Zach Williams (Mt. Vernon, Illinois), and senior Matthew Kingston (Springfield, Nebraska). Williams and Hoss were both key members to USI’s most recent team championship at the Bill Blazer Memorial Tournament. Williams finished in fourth with a 143 (-1), shooting 72-71, while Hoss finished in fifth with a 144 (E), shooting 73-71.
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This was a historic year for the Men’s Golf program at USI. They earned multiple team championships in a spring season for the first time in program history, with victories coming at the Saginaw Valley State Spring Invitational and the Bill Blazer Memorial. The Eagles are also on pace to set a new team record in team average score this season, with a 295.64, which would break the previous record set in 2005-06 of 300.7. Along with the team accomplishments, Jason Bannister is on pace to set a new school record with his 73.78 spra, breaking the previous record set by his current teammate Zach Williams in 2018-19 with a 74.7.
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The remaining nine slots in the field went to the University of Findlay, Grand Valley State University, the University of Missouri-St. Louis, the University of Indianapolis, Wayne State University, McKendree University, Tiffin University, Trevecca Nazarene University, and Davenport University.
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USI begins the NCAA Division II Midwest/Central Region on May 5-7 at Purgatory Golf Club in Noblesville, Indiana.
