The Gustie Golf season has been ramping up for both the men’s and women’s teams. The men’s team is being led this season by Junior Ben Hauge and Senior Blake Heiman while the girls are captained by Seniors Ellie Brandt and Kennedy Sommerfeld.

After graduating two of its top three golfers last spring, the men’s team is eager to continue after their successful previous season, taking 4th place in the MIAC Championship. 

This year, they are hoping to return with some promising new faces.

 “We got a good recruit in Jacob Pederson who as a [First-year] will come in and contribute right away. I look [forward to] having [Senior] Max Savini back after he didn’t play last year, as he’ll jump right in and be one of our top contributors,” Head Coach Scott Moe said. “Ben Hauge will be playing number one for us this year and I look to him to be one of our main guys this fall. We have other guys that are going to contribute for us but I see these guys as being our big players right away.” 

Making his return, Savini is eager to be with his teammates. 

“After taking last season off, I’m just excited be back out there with the guys,” Savini said. 

“Looking at all six, I see all of them being contributors, but I really like the potential of our First-years.”

—Coach Moe

The men’s team played close to home this past weekend in Maple Plain for the Pioneer Creek Collegiate meet. After the first day on the course, Moe was impressed with the results.

 “It was a good start to the 54 hole event for us. It’s a very tough golf course and we were able to see what a division one event looks like. The hole locations were very challenging and the course was very firm.” 

Pederson began his success by shooting a 72 and setting himself into a tie for 10th place overall. 

Hauge brought more strength to the team by posting a 74, and Sophomore Carter Czichotzki shot a notable 75 for the Gusties on day one. 

They returned on day two with Pederson shooting a 215 in three rounds and Hauge tying for 27th with a score of 221 (+5).

Sophomore Max Ullan and Juniors Thomas Carlson and Joe Foley rounded out the Gustavus top five with scores of 228, 229, and 232 respectively. 

The Gustavus Men’s golf team took second place with a total score of 893 in the the meet, falling behind St. Thomas.

The Gustavus women’s golf team will depend heavily on young team energy, as half of their six member roster consists of First-years, according to Moe. 

“I see First-years Emily Kratz and Erin Ericson getting some really low scores for us and I look for Sydney Regalado to be a solid, consistent player. I look at [Junior] Morgan Bleyhl and [Senior] Ellie Brandt to play well for us, as Morgan was our low qualifier in preseason,” Moe said. “Sommerfeld will get her chances to hop in the line-up as well throughout the season. Looking at all six, I see all of them being contributors, but I really like the potential of our first-years.

Last weekend, the women’s team traveled to Waverly, Iowa for the Wartburg Invite.

Despite the wind and a few hazards throughout the round, Ericson was the low scorer for the Gusties as she shot a 77 which was good for an 11th place finish on day one. 

The second low-scorer for Gustavus was Bleyhl who posted a 79 on the day. 

Regalado shot an 84 for the Gusties, and Sommerfeld and Kratz each shot 85. Brandt rounded out the scoring with an 87. The Gusties finished out day one with a 325, putting them in sixth place out of 16 teams.

The team returned even stronger on day two, with a score 14 strokes lower than the previous. 

Blehyl finished by leading the team at 76 for a 155 total earning her 16th place overall. 

First-years Ericson posted an 82 with a total of 159 landing her in a tie for 27th place and Kratz posted a 75 with a total score of 160 putting her in a tie for 29th place. 

The Gustavus Women’s Golf Team finished out the Wartburg Invite with a score of 593 and taking home sixth of of 16. 

Both teams show great promise and energy for this upcoming season. 

The men’s team will host the Twin Cities Classic in Elk River, Ramsey, and Edina, Minnesota, starting on Sept. 22, and the women will be in action next weekend Sept. 15-16, for the Division III Classic in Lake City, Minnesota.