While the football team and the basketball teams dominate the headlines, Illinois has another team that is doing something pretty historic.
Mike Small has been leading the Illini men’s golf team to a run of excellence that not many programs in any sport can claim. What we have witnessed on the links is something special, and the run isn’t ending anytime soon.
Illinois wrapped up the Urbana Regional on Wednesday with a tie for first place with No. 2-ranked Oklahoma State. The Illini shot three rounds under par, the only team to be able to claim that despite the tie.
This was the second NCAA Regional victory in a row for the Orange and Blue and the fourth in the last seven seasons. Illinois’ Ryan Voois shot a three-round total of -9 to pace the program and finish second overall in the individual standings.
A big win in the NCAA Regional will hopefully give Illinois enough momentum in the NCAA Championship
Illinois only needed to get top five in the NCAA Regional, but with the victory, we are once again heading to the NCAA Championship.
Small has had his program in the NCAA Championship in each of the last three seasons. What is even more impressive is the fact that Illinois has made the NCAA Championship in 15 out of the last 17 seasons. We missed the 2022 tournament, and then in 2020, a worldwide pandemic hit.
The last three stops at the mountain, we have fallen just short of the top, finishing in fifth place in 2021, 2023, and 2024. This program is so close to a national championship each year, but we can’t seem to close it out.
This could be the year, though. Illinois has three players with a stroke average of under 72. Max Herendeen leads the way with a blistering stroke average of 70.67, and Jackson Buchanan is close behind at 70.72. At the end of the day, getting to the match-play portion of the NCAA Championship takes your No. 3, No. 4, and No. 5 golfers to play well. After that, it is anyone’s game.