Chambana Sun

The Fighting Illini men's golf team will begin the 2024-25 season ranked No. 9 in the Preseason Bushnell/Golfweek Division I Coaches Poll, as announced Friday by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).

Illinois is aiming for its 14th Big Ten Championship under head coach Mike Small, who is entering his 25th year leading his alma mater.

The Illini are coming off a successful 2023-24 season, where they won the NCAA Stanford Regional title and finished first through 72 holes of stroke play at the NCAA Championship. They secured their ninth top-five national finish since 2011 during the match play portion of the championship at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa.

The team returns four key players from last season, including three GCAA PING All-Americans: Max Herendeen (second team), Jackson Buchanan (third team), and Ryan Voois (honorable mention). Sophomore Ethan Wilson also returns. Buchanan was named Big Ten Golfer of the Year, while Herendeen and Voois earned NCAA All-Championship Team honors with top-15 finishes at La Costa.

New additions to the roster include freshmen Jake Birdwell (Blaine, Minn.), Joseph Buttress (Perth, Australia), and Trey Marrion (Chesapeake, Va.).

The Illini will open their fall schedule from Sept. 9-11 at the Folds of Honor Collegiate in Grand Haven, Mich. Following this event, Illinois will host one of collegiate golf's most prestigious events at Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Ill.

The OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational will take place from Sept. 20-22 on the Par-70, 7,310-yard North Course. The event is known for its challenging early-season test and attracts one of the best fields in collegiate golf. This year's field includes 13 programs that are either ranked or received votes in the preseason coaches poll.