NORMAN, Okla. - The Golf Coaches Association of America released its first poll of the 2025-26 season Friday morning, Aug. 29, with the Illinois Wesleyan University men's golf team starting the season ranked fourth in the nation. 

The Titans, a perennial powerhouse on the national stage, return several key pieces from last year's NCAA Runner-Up team. Senior Michael Spitzer (Hinsdale, Ill.-Hinsdale Central), a two-time GCAA Ping All-American, earned CCIW Medalist honors in his junior campaign, capped off by a top-15 finish at the NCAA Championships. 

Fellow senior Juney Bai (Mokena, Ill.-Lincoln-Way Central) has three NCAA Championships appearances and three All-CCIW performances to his name. Also returning for the Titans, senior Aidan Healy (New Lenox, Ill.-Lincoln-Way West) posted the best scoring average of his career in his junior year, earning GCAA Ping All-Region honors. 

The Green and White welcome a talented 11-man recruiting class, adding to four returning sophomores.

Garnering a whopping 15 first-place votes and 418 points, Methodist topped the poll after claiming back-to-back national championships. Washington and Lee was slotted second with 387 points and earned one first-place vote, while Emory followed closely at third with 386 points. Illinois Wesleyan collected 363 points for fourth place, and Sewanee rounded out the poll in fifth with 329 points. Carnegie Mellon, slotted ninth, picked up one first-place vote. 

Following the annual Route 51 match play exhibition against Millikin on Sept. 3 at Clinton Country Club, the Titans will get the regular season underway at the Carthage Invitational on Sept. 8-9. 

2025-26 Bushnell/Golfweek Division III Coaches Poll - Preseason
 

Others Receiving Votes: UW-Eau Claire (33), Wittenberg (30), Amherst (27), Mary Hardin-Baylor (26), Carleton (25), Saint John's (MN) (21), Greensboro (19), John Carroll (17), Skidmore (16), Bethel (MN) (10), RPI (10), Averett (8), Rhodes (7), Trinity (CT) (7), Piedmont (2), Cal Lutheran (1), Mount St. Joseph (1).