KANSAS CITY – Juniors JJ Cooney and Brenden Bassing led a strong day two performance by the University of Sioux Falls Men's Golf Team, which moved up into a tie for fourth place at the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Men's Golf Championship at the Shoal Creek Golf Course. Cooney moved up to ninth and Bassing made a jump of 12 spots to 11th among individuals as the Cougars had a team improvement of seven shots from day one to day two.

USF carded a second day total of 306 and sit at 619 (313-306) as they moved from fifth to fourth place after the second of three rounds at NSIC Championship.  

Winona State leads the team standings at 25 over par 593 (293-300) with Bemidji State second at 34 over par 602 (300-302) and followed by Concordia St. Paul in third at 606 (304-302). In a fourth place tie is USF (313-306) and Minnesota State (304-315) with 51 over par total of 619. Minot State moved into sixth place with 62 over par total of 630 (317-313) and was followed by Upper Iowa, 67 over par 635 (316-319); Augustana, 70 over par 638 (325-313), St. Cloud State, 75-over par 643 (321-322) and Minnesota Crookston at 87 over par 655 (332-323). Winona State's Ben Jasper, who has a tournament best eight birdies, has shot rounds of 72 and 73 to sit at two-over-par (145). He holds a one shot lead on BSU's Chris Swenson, who has shot rounds of 76 and 70.  As a team USF has 15 birdies and 91 pars through two rounds with its five golfers.

Cooney, a two-time All-NSIC performer who was sixth in at the 2018 conference meet, had a major jump of 11 spots and into ninth place and into the top 10. Through two rounds, he has a 150 (78-72) with one over par round of 72 (37-35) today. He had birdies on holes two, 10, 13 and 16 and added 10 pars as he now has six birdies in the tournament and 19 pars. 

Bassing had the biggest jump by a USF golfer by moving from 23^rd into a tie for 11^th or a move of 12 places among individuals. Bassing, who finished sixth at the NSIC Preview Meet, followed his opening round of 79 with a 73 (36-37). He had birdies on holes four and 13 today and now has four for the tournament. He also had a team-high 12 pars and now has accumulated 18 in the tourney.  

Jacob Zosel, who finished ninth a year ago at the NSIC Championship, is tied for 25^th after following up his opening day of 77 with an 81 (39-42). He is 16 over par and now has 20 total pars in the tournament. 

Sophomore Jake Oetzmann moved up a spot to 33rd overall after he followed an 82 on day one with an 80 (41-39) on Friday. He added 10 pars and has 19 for the tournament.

Freshman Jack Evans is 22 over par and tied for 36^th after shooting an 85 (41-44). He opened with a 79 and now has a total of 164. He has three birdies in the tournament and with five pars today now has 14 total.  

The final 18-holes of the NSIC Championship will begin on Saturday morning with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. The top five golfers will be named NSIC All-Tournament, while the team champion will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Central/Midwest Regional, which will be played at Hot Springs Country Club, Arlington Course in Hot Springs, Arkansas on May 9-11. 

The NCAA Championships will be held May 21-25 at The Resort at Glade Springs, Cobb Course in Daniels, West Virginia, hosted by the Mountain East Conference.