Steininger leads Blazers to big win at 2024 VU Fall Invitational

VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University Golf team continued their hot start to the 2024 Fall season over the weekend by picking up another tournament victory at the 2024 Vincennes University Fall Invitational at Cypress Hills Golf Club.

VU freshman and Vincennes native Parker Steininger (Vincennes, Ind.) came away as the tournament medalist after winning a two-hole playoff against teammate and fellow VU freshman Kadin Gibson (Franklin, Ind.) by sinking a birdie putt on hole 10.

Steininger used the home course to his advantage over the weekend, posting a two-over 72 on Saturday before climbing up the leaderboard Sunday morning with an even par 70 to finish with a two-round total of 142.

Kadin Gibson ended the first day of the 36-hole tournament with an even par 70, putting him at the top of the leaderboard after 18, before returning Sunday to post a 72.

Freshman Landon Gardner (Danville, Ind.) was the next VU scorer on the final leaderboard, finishing his tournament with an opening round 74 and a 71 in Sunday's final round for a total score of 145 and a third-place finish.

Freshman Brock Naile (Trico, Ill.) was the fourth VU golfer to crack the top five, posting a 71 on Saturday and a 75 on Sunday to finish fourth overall for the tournament.

Sophomore Alex Nealis (Olney, Ill.) rounded out the Trailblazers team scorers over the weekend by shooting a 76 on Saturday and a 72 on Sunday to place sixth overall.

The Trailblazers as a team posted another weekend of outstanding scores, finishing with a team total of seven over par Saturday and five over par on Sunday for a tournament total score of 572, 38 shots ahead of the second place team.

"The team played really well," VU Hall of Fame Golf Coach Dennis Chattin said. "I do mean team because we had five of the top six players in the tournament."

"This was a really good win," Chattin added. "It's really nice to actually have a home tournament on your home course. We haven't been able to do that in over 10 years. The people at Cypress Hills have made the course a good golf course again. I can't thank Joe Lancaster, who is the greenskeeper, Kale Whitaker, the club pro and all the owners for the effort they have put into it."

"It was great to have the guys step up with those really good rounds in the tournament," Chattin said. "Parker and Kadin shooting a 36-hole total of two-over par is really good. They got the chance to experience a playoff, which is good for them. I told them they might be doing that for a chance to qualify for the National Championship someday and while it's not quite the same pressure as playing a teammate for the win as a chance to play in the championship, I'm sure they had a lot of pride in doing so."

VU freshmen Matthew Mills (Boonville, Ind.), Brayden Gough (Tuscola, Ill.) and sophomore Jackson Stone (Vincennes, Ind.) also competed in the Invitational this weekend as individuals.

Mills came away with a 16th place finish with a pair of eight over 78 rounds, while Stone finished 28th with an 86 on Saturday and an 82 on Sunday and Gough took 33rd place overall with an 87 and an 89.

The Trailblazer Golf team will look to continue this hot start in two weeks when VU heads to the IU East Invitational hosted at Delaware Country Club in Muncie, Ind.

This will be a one-day tournament, scheduled for Friday, Sept. 20.

"We are going to have a really good test coming up on the 20th when we play in Muncie at a tournament with four-year schools that IU East is hosting," Chattin said. "It's always fun to bump off the four year guys so we will see if we are up to the task."

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

TEAM RESULTS

VINCENNES – 287, 285 – 572

Mineral Area – 306, 304 – 610

Spalding (A) – 309, 302 – 611

Spalding (B) – 323, 303 – 626

Rend Lake – 321, 318 – 639

Southeastern Illinois – 333, 349 – 682

VINCENNES RESULTS

Parker Steininger (1) – 72, 70 – 142

Kadin Gibson (2) – 70, 72 – 142

Landon Gardner (3) – 74, 71 – 145

Brock Naile (4) – 71, 75 – 146

Alex Nealis (6) – 76, 72 – 148

Matthew Mills (16) – 78, 78 – 156

Jackson Stone (28) – 86, 82 – 168

Brayden Gough (33) – 87, 89 – 176