Continuing the #ValpoInTheValley series, which will take a look at each of the Missouri Valley Conference’s 17 sports, are men’s and women’s golf. Learn about the landscape of The Valley in the pair of sports and hear from men’s head coach David Gring and women’s head coach Jonathan Haas as they talk about what their respective programs are looking forward to entering the first season of MVC competition and who will lead the way in 2017-18 for their teams.

MVC Men’s Golf

Nine MVC schools compete in men’s golf. Valpo will join Bradley, Drake, Evansville, Illinois State, Loyola, Missouri State, UNI and Southern Illinois on the links in 2017-18.

A Look Back at 2016-17

MVC Championship (Lemont, Ill. – Apr. 24-25, 2017)

Individual Medalist – Trent Wallace, Illinois State

Wallace, who has won the MVC individual title in each of his first two years with the Redbirds, advanced out of the NCAA West Lafayette Regional last season as the lowest scorer outside of the individuals on the top-five teams. His season came to an end at the NCAA Division I Championship, as he missed advancing out of the initial 54 holes by just one stroke. Wallace became the first golfer from The Valley to advance to the national tournament since 2005.

Valparaiso

The Crusaders posted a fourth-place finish in the Horizon League Championship last season, missing out on third place by just three strokes.

Valpo graduated its top two golfers in Peter Webb and Nick Seitz, who finished their careers 1-2 in the Crusader record book for scoring average since the program’s revival. Webb was named the Horizon League co-Player of the Year as a senior.

Leading the way for the returnees in 2017-18 are rising seniors Zach Cutler and Michael Doherty. Cutler posted Valpo’s top scoring average among returning student-athletes last year and earned a pair of top-five finishes, while Doherty was the top finisher at the Horizon League Championship among Valpo’s returnees, placing 17th. Incoming freshman Drew Alexander enjoyed a strong showing in U.S. Open qualifying, earning medalist honors at the local qualifier in Muncie, Ind.

The Crusader men also continued their strong work in the classroom, posting a 3.63 cumulative team GPA in 2016-17. Valpo earned the President’s Special Recognition, awarded to programs which maintain a GPA of at least 3.5, from the GCAA for the sixth straight year.

Looking Ahead to 2017-18

The 2018 Missouri Valley Conference men’s golf championship will be contested Apr. 23-24, 2018 at the prestigious Dalhousie Golf Club in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Southern Illinois will serve as the host institution for the tournament.

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MVC Women’s Golf

All 10 Missouri Valley Conference member institutions sponsor women’s golf.

A Look Back at 2016-17

MVC Championship (Cape Girardeau, Mo. – Apr. 16-18, 2017)

Individual Medalist – Kayla Katterhenry, Evansville

Valparaiso

The Crusaders placed fifth at the 2017 Horizon League women’s golf championship, with rising sophomore Tiffany Curtis leading the way as she placed 11th individually.

Valpo graduated the program’s all-time scoring average leader, Angie Kim, following last season. Kim earned All-Horizon League accolades in her final year as a Crusader.

Also among the returnees in 2017-18 for the Crusaders is rising senior Katie Willenbrink, who posted a trio of top-10 finishes last year and led Valpo with a 79.70 scoring average – the third-best single-season mark in program history.

Looking Ahead to 2017-18

Valpo will travel to Newton, Kan. for the 2018 Missouri Valley Conference women’s golf championship. The three-day tournament will be contested Apr. 15-17 at Sand Creek Station Golf Course, with Missouri State serving as the host institution.