SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Oral Roberts was selected to win the 2026 #SummitMGF Championship in May as Summit League officials released their Men's Golf Preseason Poll and Golfers to Watch list Thursday.

The Golden Eagles were one of two teams to receive first-place votes in the nine-team poll as they edged St. Thomas for the top spot.

ORU claimed 64 total points to sit atop the poll voted on by the League’s nine head coaches. The Golden Eagles collected eight first-place votes, while the Tommies secured one and finished second with 56 points. Oral Roberts is seeking to capture back-to-back team titles and earn the program’s ninth overall championship, while St. Thomas has its sights set on its first Summit League crown.

South Dakota State finished third with 51 points, while Kansas City was tabbed fourth with 41 points. The Jackrabbits are seeking their third Summit League title, while the Roos are in pursuit of their fifth.

Denver took fifth with 34 points, while 2025 Summit League tournament runner-up North Dakota State claimed sixth with 33 points under the direction of first-year head coach Ekren Miller. The Coyotes, also led by first-year head coach Grant Campbell, were picked seventh with 22 points.

Omaha was selected to finish eighth with 14 points, while North Dakota followed the Mavericks in ninth and rounded out the poll with nine points

2026 Men’s Golf Preseason Poll

Program	Points
1. Oral Roberts	64 (8)
2. St. Thomas	56 (1)
3. South Dakota State	51
4. Kansas City	41
5. Denver	34
6. North Dakota State	33
7. South Dakota	22
8. Omaha	14
9. North Dakota	9

First-place vote in parentheses Preseason Watch List (Alphabetically)
Ben Gratzl // Oral Roberts // So. // Munich, Germany

• Finished nine under at the William H. Tucker Invitational this fall to finish third out of 100 participants
• Earned a 25^th place finish at The Clerico this fall
• Has the seventh-lowest round in the Summit this season with a 67 (-5) at the William H. Tucker Invitational

Mason Haley // Kansas City // So. // Enid, Okla.

• Named a First Team All-Summit League member and Newcomer of the Year following a stellar freshman season
• Averaged a team-best 72.43 strokes per round across 30 rounds played as a freshman, marking the 13^th best single-season scoring average in program history
• Earned a first-place finish this fall at the Grier Jones Shocker Invitational with a 54-hole total of 203 (-13)

Jack Holtz // South Dakota // So. // Alexandria, Minn.

• Totaled 27 rounds in his freshman campaign, averaging 73.07 strokes per round which sat ninth in the league
• Tied for sixth place at the Summit League Championships while marking a new career-low round score of 66 during day 2 of the tournament
• Earned his first career win this fall at the Zach Johnson Invitational, shooting a 54-hole score of 208 (-5)

Nolan Johnson // Omaha // Sr. // Gretna, Neb.

• Collected four top-20 finishes during his junior campaign with the Mavericks
• Earned the best finish of his career at the Tommie Invitational last season, placing fifth with a 54-hole score of 218 (+2)
• Named Honorable Mention All-Summit League last season after totaling 472 head-to-head victories

Carver Larson // North Dakota // Fr.  // Alexandria, Minn.

• Tied for fourth at the Zach Johnson Invitational, finishing two-under par and as the team’s top finisher
• Collected 16^th place out of 82 golfers at the ODU/Kilmarlic Intercollegiate in his last fall tournament
• Earned all-conference honors in the past four years of high school

Tyler McNeive // St. Thomas // So. // Overland Park, Kan.

• Ranked third among the Tommies with a 74.6 stroke average in eight events a season ago
• Helped St. Thomas tie for first at the Grier Jones Shocker Invitational this fall, posting a 54-hole score of 211 to finish tied for fifth individually
• Owns a 72.2 scoring average through four events this fall

Willis Panzarello // Denver // R-Sr. // Palm Desert, Calif.

• Recorded a 72.9 scoring average last season, which was good for fifth in the league
• Earned All-Summit League Second Team honors last season while also being named to the All-Tournament Team
• Tied for first place at the 2025 Summit League Men’s Golf Championship with a 54-hole total of 206 (-7)

Tyler Seeling // South Dakota State // Sr. // Breezy Point, Minn.

• Played in all 15 rounds for the Jackrabbits this fall, posting a 72.8 scoring average
• Tied for first place at the 2025 Summit League Men’s Golf Championship with a 54-hole total of 206 (-7)
• Matched an NCAA single round record by carding a 60 (-12) during the second round of the Island Resort Intercollegiate at Sage Run Golf Club this fall

Jake Skarperud // North Dakota State // Sr. // Fargo, N.D.

• Led the Bison in the fall with a 71.82 scoring average, highlighted by three top-three finishes and a victory in the dual against North Dakota
• Finished third at the Bluejay Invitational and runner-up at the Zach Johnson Invitational, shooting five rounds in the 60s and posting 10 rounds under par through the opening six events this fall
• Competed in all 11 team events as a junior, earning All-Summit League Second Team honors

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