When | Apr 26-29
Where | West Lafayette, Indiana
Tournament | OVC Tournament
Macomb, IL - The Western Illinois Men's Golf team wraps up their season by heading to West Lafayette Indiana to face off in the OVC Tournament.
Previously
The Western Illinois men's golf team competed at the Hawkeye Invitational in Riverside, Iowa, a three-round, 54-hole event hosted by Iowa. The Leathernecks showed steady improvement throughout the tournament, opening with a solid first round led by Mateo Rascon's 71 (-1). WIU built momentum in round two with a stronger overall team performance, highlighted by Owen Howe's 73 (+1) and consistent scoring across the lineup. The team carried that consistency into the final round, with Rascon again pacing the group. Rascon finished as WIU's top performer at +3 (T18), while Howe (+11), Julian Ortiz (+12), Easton Korell (+13), and Bayden Hubacher (+25) rounded out the Leathernecks' efforts over the 54-hole tournament.
OVC Season Predictions
The OVC released its preseason poll and Players to Watch list ahead of the 2026 season, with Western Illinois picked to finish 11th with 16 points, just behind Tennessee State and Eastern Illinois. Sophomore Owen Howe earned a spot on the OVC Players to Watch list following a strong showing last season for the Leathernecks.
Returning Big Names
Western Illinois returns three players from last year's squad. Bayden Hubacher and Nathan Tillman highlight the three returners. Hubacher and Tillman played in all four events last season. The final returner is a Burlington, IA native, Mateo Rascon. Rascon also played in all four events from the previous season, with his best finish being a tie for 18th at the OVC Championships. The Leathernecks also welcome back Johnston, IA native Owen Howe, who tied for 38th at the OVC Championships.
Golf Course
The OVC Tournament is held on the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex at West Lafayette. The course is a par 72 with 18 rounds that plays 5,300 yards. The OVC Tournament is a three-round stroke play and two-round match play tournament that will kick off Sunday morning.
Competition
SIUE, Tennessee Tech, Little Rock, Lindenwood, UT Martin, Tennessee State, Morehead, Bryant, Southern Indiana, Eastern Illinois
About the Competition
SIUE: SIUE enters 2026 as a top-half OVC team, consistently posting competitive team totals and steady scoring depth.
Tennessee Tech: Tennessee Tech remains a top-tier OVC program in 2026, regularly producing low rounds and contending near the top of the standings.
Little Rock: Little Rock leads the OVC entering 2026, backed by some of the league's lowest team scoring averages and consistent top finishes.
Lindenwood: Lindenwood continues its Division I growth in 2026, showing improved scoring averages and increased competitiveness in tournament play.
UT Martin: UT Martin is projected as a top OVC contender in 2026, consistently ranking near the top in team scoring and tournament finishes.
Tennessee State: Tennessee State enters 2026 focused on development, steadily improving team scoring and gaining experience across events.
Morehead: Morehead State remains a consistent OVC competitor in 2026, often finishing in the middle-to-upper half of tournament leaderboards.
Bryant: Bryant continues to build in 2026, showing flashes of strong individual rounds and competitive team totals.
Southern Indiana: Southern Indiana is steadily improving in 2026, closing the gap with established OVC programs through better scoring depth.
Eastern Illinois: Eastern Illinois enters 2026 as a developing OVC team, working to improve consistency and climb the conference standings.
FOLLOW THE LEATHERNECKS
For all the latest information on Leatherneck Men's Golf, visit GoLeathernecks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Leathernecks on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.
