2026 CCIW Men's Golf Team Champions - May 1, 2026

Mark Black

Men’s Golf Claims 27th CCIW Championship

Castro becomes fifth consecutive Titan to win

5/1/2026 4:51:00 PM

ROCKFORD, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University men's golf team claimed the program's 27th College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Championship Friday, May 1. The Titans picked up their 14th consecutive title with a three-day total of 867 to win the league championship by 42 strokes at Aldeen Golf Club.

Sophomore Pablo Castro (Palatine, Ill.-Palatine) took the individual lead on day one and never looked back, becoming the fifth consecutive Titan to claim medalist honors. Castro joins Jimmy Morton (2022), Quinn Clifford (2023), Bobby Beaubien (2024), and Michael Spitzer (2025) as the latest Titan CCIW medalists. Castro's three-day total of five-under par 211 gave him his second career victory by a five-stroke margin in a 1-2-3 finish for IWU.

Four Titans earned First Team All-CCIW honors with Castro, freshman Ryan Andrews (Libertyville, Ill.-Libertyville), along with seniors Aidan Healy (New Lenox, Ill.-Lincoln-Way West) and Michael Spitzer (Hinsdale, Ill.-Hinsdale Central) all earning top-10 finishes. Senior Juney Bai (Mokena, Ill.-Lincoln-Way West) placed in a tie for 11th position, giving him Second Team All-CCIW status.

Andrews placed runner-up in his championship debut, carding a 54-hole total of 216. In his title defense, Spitzer earned third-place with a score of 220.

For the fourth consecutive season, a Titan was the recipient of the CCIW's Elite 26 Award, presented to the all-conference student-athlete with the highest grade point average. Castro claimed the honor, becoming just the second in conference history to win the league's individual award alongside the accolade. Clifford accomplished the feat in 2023. Sophomore Lane Ludwig (Effingham, Ill.-St. Anthony) was IWU's CCIW RESPECT award winner.

In specialty awards, Illinois Wesleyan swept. Castro was voted the league's Golfer of the Year, while Andrews took home Newcomer of the Year honors. Castro joins Beaubien (2024) and Griffin Pohl (2025) as the league's all-time recipients of the Golfer of the Year award. Andrews is the first Titan to be voted the newcomer of the year in program history. Head coach Jim Ott and Karl Keller earned Coach Staff of the Year for the 12th time since the award began in 2010.

With the win, Illinois Wesleyan secured the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship. Coming off of a national runner-up finish in 2025, the Titans are set to compete Tuesday-Friday, May 12-15, in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla. at Mission Inn Resort + Spa.

IWU Individual Standings
1. Pablo Castro 67-71-73=211
2. Ryan Andrews 72-73-71=216
3. Michael Spitzer 72-74-74=220
T7. Aidan Healy 77-74-73=224
T11. Juney Bai 73-75-78=226

Team Standings
1. Illinois Wesleyan 284-292-291=867
2. Augustana 301-309-299=909
3. Millikin 308-300-305=913
4. Carthage 314-294-306=914
5. Elmhurst 307-307-301=915
6. North Park 301-311-308=920
7. Wheaton 315-313-297=925
8. North Central 316-318-305=939
9. Carroll 322-322-318=962

Print Friendly Version