Illinois State has been tabbed the favorite in both men's and women's golf by a vote of head coaches. The Redbird men were a unanimous choice, receiving all 10 first-place votes and 100 total points. Valparaiso was the second choice by coaches in MVC men's golf. ISU's women's team received 8 of 12 first-place tallies and 137 total points to outdistance Bradley in the women's poll.
Illinois State's men's team is the highest-rated MVC team in the NCAA and ranks No. 63 nationally entering the spring season. Alex McCulla (127 national rank) and Valentin Peugnet (157 national rank) lead the 'Birds. Southern Illinois, the third pick in the coaches' pre-season rankings, is the next-highest-rated MVC team in the NCAA team rankings (No. 149) and Valpo (156) is right behind. Caleb VanArragon of Valparaiso highlights MVC men's golf with a No. 43 national rank to top all MVC golfers. Edouard Cereto leads the Salukis with his 70.27 stroke average through five fall events and 15 rounds.
The 2024 MVC Men's Golf Championship will be at The Club at Porto Cima (April 21-23) in Sunrise Beach, Mo., and Missouri State is the host institution. The Championship Tees for the men's course will play at 7,060 yards.
Meanwhile, Illinois State's women's team is the top-rated MVC program in the NCAA rankings, clocking in at No. 133 as a team through four fall tournaments. Jinyoung Yun posted a team-best 70.8 stroke average during the fall and leads ISU and the MVC in the national player rankings (No. 237). She fired three separate rounds of 67 in the fall, earned medalist honors at the Coyote Creek Classic, and had three Top-5 individual finishes. Bradley's No. 143 national rank is second-best in the MVC. The Braves' Grace Aromando had a spectacular fall campaign, winning the Redbird Invitational on Sept. 10-11. She was in the Top 5 on the individual leaderboard in two other fall events. Her stroke average this past fall was 73.3.
The 2024 MVC Women's Golf Championship will be at the par-72, 6,176-yard layout at Annbriar Golf Course in Waterloo, Ill. UNI is the host school. Teams will play 18 holes each (April 14-16).
