The BVU Men’s and Women’s Golf teams are well into their seasons and are facing a handful of outings left before they finish. 

Men’s: 

Led by Head Coach Brett Benson, the men’s team has had some standout performers through a quiet season. 

Sophomore Ryan Ruzek is coming off of a hot freshman campaign, where he placed in the top 15 at the IIAC championship. This year, Ruzek claimed a third place finish in the Iowa City Shootout with a +13 finish. 

Anthony Gallagher had his performance of the season this past weekend at the Wartburg College Invite. A pair of birdies saw his impressive score of 76 found tie for second place. He was only three shots off the top spot. 

The team has consistently improved as a unit throughout the season and took third place in the Wartburg College Invite. They were only one shot behind Simpson for second as well. 

Earlier performances in the season include a 17th place finish out of 32 teams at the Midwest Region Fall Classic, as well as a 20th place finish out of 32 in the Fall Classic’s second round.

Evan Krause, Peyton Stage, and Andrew Underbrink round out the rest of the Beavers’ lineup, all consistently improving their scores each outing. Coach Benson agrees and is pleased with the team’s improvements.

“We have gotten better as a team.  We are still very young and have some rough spots.  Our goal is to get better every day and let the chips fall where they may,” says Benson.  “Coming into the season I had very high expectations and thought we could play well and have a chance to win a tournament.  As a team we need everyone to play well to get this accomplished. 

The Beavers’ putting has been one of those areas of constant improvement, and Benson is still pushing the team to get better as they enter the final stretch. 

“This whole year we have focused on the short game or scoring area of golf,” explains Benson. “Everyone hits the ball about the same, so to play well at this level we need to find ways to get the ball in the hole. The guys are really seeing the positives when we put in the time to get better.”

The team finishes their season this coming weekend at the BVU Fall Shootout in Spencer, Iowa. Taking place on Oct. 7 and 8, the team looks to finish the fall campaign with their lowest scores yet.  

Women’s: 

The Women’s Golf team is led by Head Coach Janet Berry, the former Women’s Basketball coach of the past 26 years. The team’s small squad of four is made up of Raelinn Arnold, Katelyn Baltes, Nicole Rohner, and Emily Kim.  

With a smaller roster, it’s easier to focus on each player’s game individually. Berry has been especially pleased with the teams’ dedication in improving each week. 

“Our goals throughout the season have to been to get better at our short game,” says Berry. “We are slowly doing that. This fall I have been super proud of Emily, Katelyn, Nicole, and Raelinn.  They are a great group of women and I truly appreciate all their hard work.” 

Arnold and Kim have been the duo to watch for the Beavers. Arnold, a returning All-Conference golfer, is working her way back to the accolade. Posting an 82 on the second day of the BVU Invite, she claimed an impressive fifth place finish. 

Meanwhile, Kim is showcasing her growth in her final year. After the first 18 holes of the American Rivers conference tournament, Kim sat tied for 15th place with an 87. Baltes and Rohner also followed not far behind. 

Though they haven’t achieved the low scores they’re aiming for yet, the team proves to have heart. 

“Our team has a lot of grit. They have had to play in some really tough conditions ranging from cold, rainy temperatures to super-hot. Despite that, they go out every tournament ready to compete.” says Berry. 

With the first two rounds of the American Rivers Conference Championships taking place this past weekend, the Beavers looked to earn their spot amongst the top teams in the ARC. Finishing the weekend at sixth, the team posted season highs, but still have a way to go. 

“We went in as the sixth seed, the highest in a long time, and we held our position. The ARC is a tough conference and we are working hard to move up in the standings,” says Berry. 

The team will complete their fall season this coming weekend as well, in the third and fourth rounds of the American Rivers Conference Championships. Round three will take place Saturday, Oct. 6, with round four to follow the next day.