Men's Golf Team!

[vu84v2]

Can golfers play in both the NCAA tournament and the NIT equivalent?

[vu72]

Can golfers play in both the NCAA tournament and the NIT equivalent?

I'm not sure, but it would seem that because Anthony and Caleb are playing as individuals in the NCAA and that the other tournament is a team event, that they could.

[valpo64]

Are Anthony and Caleb playing with the team in Arizona?  I haven't seen their names on the leaderboard but have seen other team members. 

[vu72]

Are Anthony and Caleb playing with the team in Arizona?  I haven't seen their names on the leaderboard but have seen other team members. 
[/quote

It doesn't look like it at least for the first round. 

[VULB#62]

http://www.valpoathletics.com/mgolf/news/2022-23/22137/kostouros-leads-way-with-strong-first-day-at-ngi/

According to this, both are ineligible 

[vu72]

Fantastic results from our top two golfers!  Caleb wins the Minnesota State Open, beating pros by a lot and Anthony wins his US Amateur Sectional  and now will play in the US Amateur Championship at Cherry Hills in Denver!

https://www.valpoathletics.com/mgolf/news/2023-24/22174/delisanti-wins-us-amateur-qualifier-vanarragon-captures-minnesota-state-open/?fbclid=IwAR17gd4rPU0bIbzWnUctBJUQi_UrW2kOdhD4FkdyJaGkz-qxoiPZA_SqrTY

[vu84v2]

Fantastic results from our top two golfers!  Caleb wins the Minnesota State Open, beating pros by a lot and Anthony wins his US Amateur Sectional  and now will play in the US Amateur Championship at Cherry Hills in Denver!

https://www.valpoathletics.com/mgolf/news/2023-24/22174/delisanti-wins-us-amateur-qualifier-vanarragon-captures-minnesota-state-open/?fbclid=IwAR17gd4rPU0bIbzWnUctBJUQi_UrW2kOdhD4FkdyJaGkz-qxoiPZA_SqrTY

Delisanti was medalist by five shots and qualified with a nine shot margin. That is impressive! Would be great to see him make it past stroke play to match play....or, better yet, go deep into match play.

[VULB#62]

Holy cow!   Caleb finished 23 under!!!

http://www.valpoathletics.com/mgolf/news/2023-24/22182/vanarragon-sustains-spectacular-summer-by-winning-mga-amateur-championship-qualifying-for-3m-open/

[vu72]

Holy cow!   Caleb finished 23 under!!!

http://www.valpoathletics.com/mgolf/news/2023-24/22182/vanarragon-sustains-spectacular-summer-by-winning-mga-amateur-championship-qualifying-for-3m-open/

Check out the tv interview with him starting at 1:45.  Quite the kid!

https://kstp.com/minnesota-sports/2023-3m-open-interviews-hoge-vanarragon-capan-iii/

[talksalot]

And, he's playing in the PGA tour event in Minneapolis.   Currently 5 over.  No change he'll make the cut.  But still....

[vu72]

And, he's playing in the PGA tour event in Minneapolis.   Currently 5 over.  No change he'll make the cut.  But still....

He is currently ahead of eight pros and tied with two others.  I can only imagine the pressure of playing in you first pga event, along side  guys like Justin Thomas and Tony Finau.  I wonder if any other Valpo golfers have ever tied it up in a pga event?

[vu84v2]

And, he's playing in the PGA tour event in Minneapolis.   Currently 5 over.  No change he'll make the cut.  But still....

He is currently ahead of eight pros and tied with two others.  I can only imagine the pressure of playing in you first pga event, along side  guys like Justin Thomas and Tony Finau.  I wonder if any other Valpo golfers have ever tied it up in a pga event?

Caleb is 2 under after 3 holes on the day. He is still six off the cutline, but he is currently ahead of a lot more pros than he was before.

I am very confident that Caleb is the first Valpo golfer to play in a PGA tour event.

[vu84v2]

And, he's playing in the PGA tour event in Minneapolis.   Currently 5 over.  No change he'll make the cut.  But still....

He is currently ahead of eight pros and tied with two others.  I can only imagine the pressure of playing in you first pga event, along side  guys like Justin Thomas and Tony Finau.  I wonder if any other Valpo golfers have ever tied it up in a pga event?

Caleb is 2 under after 3 holes on the day. He is still six off the cutline, but he is currently ahead of a lot more pros than he was before.

I am very confident that Caleb is the first Valpo golfer to play in a PGA tour event.

Caleb shot a 1 under par 70 in the second round. Missed the cut, but breaking par in a PGA Tour round is another impressive milestone.

[valpo64]

Are both Anthony and Caleb returning next year?  What about the rest of the team?

[vu72]

Are both Anthony and Caleb returning next year?  What about the rest of the team?

Yes. The only player lost is Yanni Kostouros, who played #3.  We've added a couple of freshman, the best of which seems to be Elliott Lee, who won the Oregon high school championship each of the last two years.

[VULB#62]

Excuse me, but how are we getting these incredible golfers to come to, of all places, NW Indiana? 

[vu84v2]

Excuse me, but how are we getting these. Incredible golfers to come to, of all places, NW Indiana? 

Simple...Dave Gring is an outstanding coach.

[vu72]

Excuse me, but how are we getting these. Incredible golfers to come to, of all places, NW Indiana? 

I'm pretty sure it's  the weather!

[valpopal]

Excuse me, but how are we getting these. Incredible golfers to come to, of all places, NW Indiana? 

I'm pretty sure it's  the weather!

Yes, like Rick in Casablanca, they came for the weather, but as Rick says to Renault, "I was misinformed."

[crusader05]

Good coach, opportunities to stand out, probably a lot of helpful academic aid. Less a need to worry about what conference you play in since it's score based etc. Smaller schools can do a better job of building strong programs in smaller sports that have a more reasonable pool to pull from as well. You don't have the same sort of "stars in your eyes" on the recruiting trail that high profile sports have.

Also, a lot of these players may have a different perspective on why they want to play a sport in college.

[vu84v2]

Good coach, opportunities to stand out, probably a lot of helpful academic aid. Less a need to worry about what conference you play in since it's score based etc. Smaller schools can do a better job of building strong programs in smaller sports that have a more reasonable pool to pull from as well. You don't have the same sort of "stars in your eyes" on the recruiting trail that high profile sports have.

Also, a lot of these players may have a different perspective on why they want to play a sport in college.

"Good coach" really doesn't capture the outstanding job that Dave Gring has done (not that you meant any disrespect). Dave decided what was needed for Valpo to have a really good golf program and took it on himself to get those things done. Valpo needed a strong course to call home, as a poor course would definitely hurt recruiting (in the 1980s, Valpo's home course was Forest Park). Dave worked out a deal with Sand Creek. The golf program needed additional funding for a variety of things that the athletic department couldn't afford to fund, so Dave organized various activities (e.g., annual golf outing) and engaged with people who would be most interested in the program and could donate money. He has then recruited better players via his optimistic - but realistic - vision of what Valpo golf can be, as well as leveraging the university's other strengths (strong academics).

[vu84v2]

Valpo finished tied for 3rd in the Air Force Academy's tournament in Colorado. Better, Caleb Van Arragon won medalist honors after winning the first playoff hole.

[Valpo14]

Valpo finished tied for 3rd in Air Force Academy's tournament in Colorado. Better, Caleb Van Arragon won medalist honers after winning the first playoff hole.

Meanwhile the women's team is atrocious. How can there be such a dichotomy and when can it be fixed?
If our basketball teams are going to be mediocre at best perhaps our non revenue teams can be competitive?

[vu72]

Valpo finished tied for 3rd in Air Force Academy's tournament in Colorado. Better, Caleb Van Arragon won medalist honers after winning the first playoff hole.

Meanwhile the women's team is atrocious. How can there be such a dichotomy and when can it be fixed?
If our basketball teams are going to be mediocre at best perhaps our non revenue teams can be competitive?

It's a fair question. It appears that the coach has brought in at least one player with a decent record but the normal suspects for top players remain the same.  This team not only finishes last, they finish last by a lot!

[vu84v2]

After two rounds, the men's team has a 16 shot lead in its own tournament and Caleb Van Arragon has a 12 shot lead individually. Not the strongest field, but Valpo is playing without its other top player.