Eagles Projected to Finish Sixth in OVC​​​​​​​

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Golf was projected to finish sixth in the Ohio Valley Conference the league announced on Tuesday. The Screaming Eagles are coming off one of their best seasons in program history, advancing to the NCAA II Super Regional for the first time since 2000 last spring.
 
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock was picked to finish first in their first year in the OVC, earning eight of the nine first place votes. Tennessee Tech University received the lone other first place vote and was picked to finish second. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, the University of Tennessee at Martin, and Morehead State University were the other three schools picked to finish above USI. Lindenwood University, Eastern Illinois University, and Tennessee State University round out the remainder of the standings.
 
“The Ohio Valley Conference will be strong this spring with Arkansas Little Rock being the team to beat. USI has put in a lot of work over the off season and will be ready to go in Tennessee starting in March.” USI Head Coach David Turpin had to say on his teams upcoming season after leading the Eagles to a historic season in 2022.
 
USI had a very strong fall season and are looking to build off recent success. The Eagles finished in the top half of four out their five tournaments and finished the fall with a second-place finish at the TVA Community Credit Union Invitational and a tie for first place at the Kentucky Wesleyan Invitational.
 
The Eagles open the spring season March 12-14 when they travel to Sevierville, Tennessee to compete in the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate hosted by Tennessee Tech. They then head to Gulf Shores, Alabama to compete in the Craft Farms Intercollegiate March 26-28, hosted by the University of South Alabama. USI then heads east for their final three matches, starting on April 3-4 when they compete in Louisville, Kentucky at the Ernie Denham Classic hosted by Bellarmine University. They then head to Batavia, Ohio to compete in The Jewell hosted by Northern Kentucky University April 10-11. The Eagles then finish off their regular season at the Wright State Invitational April 16-17 in Springboro, Ohio hosted by Wright State University. USI will then head to Cape Girardeau, Missouri to compete in the Ohio Valley Conference Championships April 23-26 to finish the season.
 
The Eagles are led this season by senior Zach Williams (Mt. Vernon, Illinois) and sophomore Jason Bannister (Laguna Niguel, California) who are coming off a 2022 season which saw them take home the first All-Great Lakes Valley Conference awards since 2013 for USI Men’s Golf. Williams was also named the James R. Spalding Sportsmanship honoree for the Eagles. Both Bannister and Williams broke the previous record for average score in a season. The previous record was held by Williams from the 2018-19 season with a 74.7 average. Bannister finished last season with a 74.0 average while Williams set the record with a 74.27 record.
 
The USI roster also features 10 other members, including three returnees and seven newcomers. Senior Evan Bonnell (Evansville, Indiana), junior Jace Day (Bloomington, Indiana), and junior Peyton Short (Greenwood, Indiana) all return to the squad. Day was one of three other Eagles to compete at last season’s Super Regional with Williams and Bannister.
 
Of the seven newcomers, four are freshmen while three are new transfers to the program. Freshmen Carter Goebel (Breese, Illinois), Will Perkins (Noblesville, Indiana), Gabe Suiter (Clarksville, Tennessee), and Jaden Wilson (LaGrange, Kentucky) all are making their first collegiate appearances this season. The Eagles also welcomed in three transfers this year. Junior Bryce Kirchner (North Vernon, Indiana) comes to USI from Vincennes University, junior Trevor Laub (Edwardsville, Illinois) transfers to USI from Heartland College, and junior Tanner Walton (Jackson, Missouri) comes to the program from John A. Logan College.
 
2022-23 OVC Golf Preseason Predicted Order of Finish
Men’s Predicted Order of Finish
1. Little Rock (8 first-place votes) – 64 points
2. Tennessee Tech (1) – 57
3. SIUE – 49
4. UT Martin – 41
5. Morehead State – 39
6. Southern Indiana – 25
7. Lindenwood – 23
8. Eastern Illinois – 15
9. Tennessee State – 11