2026 RSC Golf Preview

Men's Golf | 2/11/2026 1:49:53 PM

Golf season is nearing closer to its resumption, and the River States Conference is excited to take a look at the 2026 seasons for our member schools! Each RSC school talked with athletes and coaches from their teams, with those interviews linked below as part of Media Day!

Additionally, each school has spotlighted athletes expected to be major contributors during the 2026 campaign, and are also listed below as our 2026 Players to Watch!

MEN's GOLF

BRESCIA

Media Day

Players to Watch

Jackson Mayes
Freshman | Leitchfield, Kentucky

Mayes was Brescia's top-ranked player in the fall, posting a scoring average of 76.0. During the fall, Mayes had a top 5 finish in the IU East Invitational and a top 10 finish in the Delaware Shootout event.

Jacob Blackburn
Junior | Beaver Dam, Kentucky

Jacob was very steady all fall for the Bearcats, and had a top 5 finish in the Delaware Shoot Out event. He enters the spring season with an adjusted scoring average of 79.2.

IU EAST

Media Day

Players to Watch

Sam Firebaugh
Senior | Zionsville, Indiana

Firebaugh is the team's lowest returning scorer from last year's RSC Championship. The senior also finished second overall in the RSC Preview earlier this year, putting him firmly in the running for Player of the Year honors.

Noah Mulford
Freshman | Powell, Ohio

During his first semester of collegiate golf, Mulford was able to finish tied for second overall in the Music City Collegiate with a six-under par score. He was also second for the Red Wolves in the RSC Preview, finishing seventh overall. 

IU KOKOMO

Media Day

Players to Watch

Oliver Gearlds
Senior | Fountaintown, Indiana

A top 20 finisher in the River States Conference Championship last season, Gearlds returns for his senior season with the Cougars. During the fall season, the senior recorded four top-ten finishes in six tournaments, and is currently IU Kokomo's top-ranked player.

Hayden Williamson
Senior | Peru, Indiana

Williamson enters the spring season at the second-ranked player on the Cougars roster. The senior logged four top-ten finishes during the fall season, and finished the fall with the overall victory at the Saints Invite at Rock Hollow.

IU SOUTHEAST

Media Day

Players to Watch

Westin Allen
Sophomore | Henryville, Indiana

Allen had a solid showing in the fal, and the Grenadiers are expecting him to come out firing some competitive numbers again this spring. He earned medalist honors at the Eagle Invite in Georgia, and has the game to compete at the top every time he tees it up, according to his coaches.

Blaine Hamilton
Freshman | Floyds Knobs, Indiana

According to his coaches, Hamilton has the game and the power to fire some low numbers, and the Grenadiers are looking to get him dialed in this spring and post some consistent low scores. Per coaches, he’s a hard worker and should have some great opportunities for that to pay off and post well. 

KENTUCKY CHRISTIAN

Media Day

Players to Watch

Braydon DeHart
Sophomore | Olive Hill, Kentucky

DeHart currently ranks second on the Kentucky Christian roster, and finished in the top ten in two events during the fall season. The sophomore placed second at the NCCAA Mideast Regional, and was ninth at the tournament hosted by Ohio Christian.

Noah Sergent
Sophomore | Elk View, West Virginia

Sergent enters the fall as the top-ranked player on the Kentucky Christian roster. The sophomore recorded three top-ten finishes during the fall, including at the NCCAA Mideast Regional. He finished in the top half of the field at the RSC Fall Preview.

MIDWAY

Media Day

Players to Watch

Gage Gregory
Senior | Monticello, Kentucky

The senior is one of the key returning contributors from a team that won the River States Conference for the fourth time in five years last spring. Gregory is a two-time recipient of the RSC Golfer of the Week award.

Gabe Cole
Freshman | Campbellsville, Kentucky

Cole headlines a talented freshman class looking to add depth to a team that lost multiple key contributors from a season ago. Cole finished fourth at the RSC Fall Preview, carding a one-over par score.

OAKLAND CITY

Players to Watch

Trevin Hutchinson
Senior | Springville, Indiana

The official NAIA database ranks Hutchinson as the number two player on the Oakland City roster. He was second among Mighty Oaks at the RSC Fall Preview, and did the same at the DACC Fall Invitational.

Leo Molino
Sophomore | Lescar, France

Molino is the reigning River States Conference Golfer of the Year, and earned Newcomer of the Year and First Team All-Conference as well. He was in the top ten in all three of his fall tournaments, including a ninth-place finish at the RSC Fall Preview and a win at the Moose Landing Fall Classic.

RIO GRANDE

Players to Watch

Media Day

Juan Carlo Gil Perez
Junior | Malaga, Spain

Gil Perez was one of the most consistent golfers at the 2025 Fall Preview, as the junior led the field with 26 pars in 36 holes. He finished fourth overall at Glade Springs, one year after claiming Third Team All-Conference honors at the 2025 RSC Championships.

Pedro Torrens
Freshman | Neuquén, Argentina

Torrens was sensational in his first River States Conference event this fall, placing second overall at the RSC Fall Preview. He carded six birdies in the second round, and logged eight for the tournament, second most in the field.

ST. MARY-OF-THE-WOODS

Media Day

Players to Watch

John Amt
Freshman | Brownsburg, Indiana

Amt led the Pomeroys at the 2025 River States Conference Fall Preview, finishing tied for 37th overall after posting rounds of 79 and 81 on the challenging Cobb Course at The Resort at Glade Springs. His consistency across both rounds highlighted his emergence as a steady scoring presence early in his collegiate career.

Nolan Mishler
Sophomore | Terre Haute, Indiana

Mishler continued to provide dependable depth for SMWC, carding rounds of 81 and 82 to finish tied for 51st at the RSC Fall Preview. His ability to navigate a demanding conference layout reflects continued growth as the Pomeroys build toward postseason competition.

SHAWNEE STATE

Players to Watch

Trey Cracraft
Junior | Maysville, Kentucky

Cracraft is currently Shawnee State's top-ranked player by the NAIA. Cracraft was a Second Team All-River States Conference selection last season, and ended his fall season with individual medalist honors at IU Kokomo's Crimson Classic.

Ross Ferrell
Senior | Tipp City, Ohio

Ferrell is one of two Shawnee State players currently ranked in the top 400 players in the nation by the NAIA. Ferrell logged a pair of top ten finishes in the fall, placing fourth at the Crimson Classic and eighth at the Roger Merb Invitational.

WVU TECH

Media Day

Players to Watch

Sean Cooper
Sophomore | Jumping Branch, West Virginia

In his second year with the Golden Bears, Cooper is currently ranked second on the roster by the NAIA. The West Virginia native placed in the top 15 at the RSC Fall Preview, powered by a one-over 73 in the first round.

Alvaro Iglesias
Sophomore | Castellon, Spain

Iglesias was in the hunt at the 2025 River States Conference Championships, where he finished third overall, just four shots back of the leader. He added a top-ten finish at the RSC Fall Preview, which included a three-under 69 in the second round to power WVU Tech to the team title.

WOMEN's GOLF

IU EAST

Media Day

Players to Watch

Maddie Campbell
Freshman | Brownsburg, Indiana

Campbell put herself in the conversation for RSC Player and Newcomer of the Year honors at the RSC Fall Preview, finishing third overall to lead the Red Wolves. She was also IU East's number two scorer at the Crossroads Preview.

Peytin Gillman
Freshman | Liberty, Indiana

Gillman is the top-ranked player from IU East following the fall season. The freshman finished eighth overall in the RSC Fall Preview, and added another top ten finish at the Crossroads Preview.

IU KOKOMO

Media Day

Players to Watch

Chloe Crook
Junior | Logansport, Indiana

Crook finished second among Cougars at last season's RSC Championships to finish her sophomore season. She logged a top ten finish in the fall at IU Kokomo's home event, the Crimson Classic.

Hailey Stegemann
Senior | Cincinnati, Ohio

Stegemann earned First Team All-River States Conference last season, finishing in a tie for second at the RSC Championships at Glade Springs.

IU SOUTHEAST

Media Day

Players to Watch

Emma Rowland
Freshman | Corydon, Indiana

She had a few phenomenal performances in the fall, including winning the RSC Fall Preview. According to coaches, she brings consistency and unwavering dedication to every shot she hits and will be looking to have great results this spring.

Rachel Shaffer
Redshirt Freshman | New Albany, Indiana

She is described as the most experienced player on the team, and according to coaches, it shows. Her coaches don’t know anyone that works harder than her and she is extremely excited to build off of multiple top tens during the fall season.

MIDWAY

Media Day

Players to Watch

Kasey Cameron
Sophomore | Richmond, Kentucky

Cameron looks to build on a freshman season that ended with her being named River States Conference Golfer of the Year. She ended her rookie campaign by becoming just the second Midway golfer to qualify for the final round of the NAIA National Championships.

Savannah Salchli
Junior | Frankfort, Kentucky

Headlines a talented junior class along with teammate Anna New. Salchli played a pivotal role in Midway winning the River States Conference Championship, shooting the second-best score (77) of the final round to help the Eagles win by seven strokes after the day ahead by just two.

OAKLAND CITY

Players to Watch

Tanisha Downer
Senior | Indianapolis, Indiana

Downer is currently ranked as Oakland City's top player entering the spring. She finished second overall at the Moose Landing Fall Classic, then placed sixth at Alice Lloyd's Eagle Invitational.

Maria Coria
Senior | Rosario, Argentina

Coria ended the fall on a strong note, posting back-to-back top ten finishes in her final two tournaments. She placed third at the Moose Landing Fall Classic, then placed eighth of 32 golfers at Alice Lloyd's Eagle Invitational.

RIO GRANDE

Media Day

Players to Watch

Lindsey Martin
Freshman | Lawrenceburg, Kentucky

Martin ranks second among RedStorm players in the NAIA's individual rankings. Martin ended her freshman fall on a high note, placing second at the KCU Fall Invitational.

Maddi Meadows
Junior | Gallipolis, Ohio

Meadows is the top-ranked player on the Rio Grande roster according to the NAIA's Clippd rankings. Meadows logged a pair of top ten finishes during her 2025 fall, placing seventh at Alice Lloyd's Maggie Mountain Invitational and third at KCU's Fall Invitational.

ST. MARY-OF-THE-WOODS

Media Day

Players to Watch

Bailey Barker
Senior | Crawfordsville, Indiana

Barker played a key role in SMWC’s surge to the team title, finishing tied for sixth overall with a two-day score of 159 (80–79) as the Pomeroys posted the lowest team round of the tournament (306) in the final round. Her steady play across both rounds helped propel SMWC from a two-stroke deficit into first place, underscoring her reliability as a veteran presence in the lineup.

Macie Shirk
Senior | Crawfordsville, Indiana

Shirk led the Pomeroys individually with a tie for fourth place, carding rounds of 84 and 74 for a 158 total, including one of the top final-round scores in the field. Her closing-round performance anchored SMWC’s championship push and highlighted her ability to deliver under pressure in conference-level competition.

SHAWNEE STATE

Players to Watch

Cali Baird
Senior | Sheridan, Ohio

Baird enters the spring as Shawnee State's top-ranked player. She placed in the top half of the field at the KCU Fall Invitational, earning a top ten finish.

Aly Wellman
Junior | Wayne, West Virginia

Wellman earned a pair of top ten finishes during the fall season. She placed fifth at the UPIKE Fall Invitational, then finished the season with a fourth place finish at the KCU Fall Invitational.