SMITHVILLE, Mo. – The University of Sioux Falls men's golf team delivered a historic performance at the NSIC Championship, finishing tied for second place at Paradise Pointe Golf Complex. The Cougars posted a three-round total of 888 (+24), marking the program's best finish in the NSIC Championship.
Sioux Falls surged up the leaderboard after a slow start, turning in back-to-back strong rounds to put themselves firmly in contention. The Cougars were led by Jadan Ford, who earned All-Tournament Team honors with a third-place finish, while the lineup showed depth and resilience throughout the weekend.
Tournament Snapshot
- Top Cougar Finish: Jadan Ford – T3 (+1, 78-70-69=217)
- Lowest Round: 69 (Jadan Ford – Round 3)
- Team Best Round: 290 (+2)
- Tournament Champion: Winona State (+3)
- Number of Teams: 10
How It Happened
Sioux Falls opened the championship with a 305 (+17), placing sixth after the first round. Despite the early position, the Cougars remained within striking distance and responded with one of the strongest second rounds in the field.
The momentum continued on day two as USF fired a 292 (+4), climbing the leaderboard and putting pressure on the top teams. In the final round, the Cougars delivered their best performance of the tournament, shooting 290 (+2) to secure a tie for second. The late surge highlighted the team's ability to adjust and compete under pressure, nearly closing the gap on the tournament champions.
Top Cougar Performers
Ford led the way for Sioux Falls with a third-place finish at 217 (+1), earning All-Tournament Team honors. After opening with a 78, he responded with rounds of 70 and 69, including the lowest round by a Cougar during the event. His consistency over the final two rounds was key to the team's climb up the standings.
Hanson added a strong showing, finishing tied for 11th at 221 (+5) with rounds of 73, 76, and 72. Nutter and Lenards each contributed valuable scores, both tying for 17th at 226 (+10). Lenards closed strong with a final-round 71, while Nutter provided steady play throughout the tournament.
The Cougars' depth played a crucial role in the team finish, with multiple players contributing key rounds during the final two days to complete the comeback effort.
Cougar Scorecard
Coach's Corner
"I am extremely proud of this group of kids. They battled hard all weekend. We got off to a slow start Friday, sitting sixth after the first round and these guys were really disappointed. Then the last two days we shoot 292, 290 which shows the character of this group to keep grinding. This was a total team effort."
- Head Coach Wade Merry
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