SIOUX FALLS -- The University of Sioux Falls Men's Golf Team, picked to finish third in the NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll, will continue their season at the Battle for Belt at the Hot Springs Country Club on March 8-9 in Hot Springs, AR.
The Battle for the Belt is a nine-team, 54-hole (three-round) event. The competition begins with two rounds Monday, beginning at 9 a.m. CT and a final third round on Tuesday at the Arlington Course, which has a Par 72, 6713-yard layout. USF, which is ranked 8th in the Central Region by GolfStat, will be competing against eight other teams. USF will be led by NSIC Preseason Player of the Year JJ Cooney, USF's first ever three-time All-NSIC selection last spring.
As USF's first preseason golfer of the year, Cooney leads a talented group of golfers this year. The Cougars started the new season strong, finishing in eight place at their first tournament of the season, the Natural State Golf Classic on March 1-2 in Cabot, Ark. In the classic, the Cougars jumped from 13th after day one to eighth overall and opened the season with a top-10 finish in a competitive field of 19 teams. USF, which improved its round score by 19 strokes (321-to-302), had 23 birdies across two days, which was tied for the second best total. They also had 89 par holes.
Cooney, USF's Male Student Athlete of the Year for the 2019-2020 season, made a big jump individually as he moved from 38th to 21st by carding a second-day round of 73 to finish at 152 (79-73). In total in two rounds, Cooney finished eight-over par and totaled 17 pars and eight birdies.
Seniors
Brenden Bassing and
Jacob Zosel finished 40th and 67th respectively, helping the Cougars to their 8th place team finish. Bassing tied for 40th with a 158 (78-80), finishing with three birdies and 18 pars in two days. Zosel finished in a tie for 67th with a 165 (86-79), totaling 15 pars and three birdies.
Junior
Jack Evans and sophomore
Gavin Metz placed 28th and 51st respectively. Evans tied for 28th with a two-round total of 154 (78-76), finishing with five birdies and 20 pars. Metz finished in a tie for 51st at 160 (86-74), totaling 16 pars and four birdies.
Playing as an individual, junior
Nathan Woodall finished in 95th at 183 (91-92), totaling nine pars and two birdies.
The Cougars are returning their top-five golfers for the season and are looking forward to continuing a strong season. USF will compete next at the Hillcat Classic at the Bailey Ranch Golf Club on March 15-16 in Owasso, Okla.
