The Illinois State men’s golf team finished the first day of the 2026 Missouri Valley Conference championship in third place, following a career-low round from senior Francis Bautista, according to an April 26 announcement.
The team’s performance places them within reach of the leaders as they aim to become the first school since 2014 and 2015 to win back-to-back men’s golf titles. Southern Illinois leads with a score of 279, followed by Murray State at 282 and Illinois State at 283. The Redbirds remain contenders with two rounds left to play.
Bautista led Illinois State by tying for third overall after recording three birdies and an eagle early in his round, ultimately finishing with a personal best score of 67 on the par-71 course. Other notable performances included TJ Barger tied for ninth, Max Faucquez tied for thirteenth, Sam Ottwell tied for seventeenth, and Pietro Pontiggia tied for twenty-second.
According to the official website, Illinois State Redbirds benefits from the Redbird Athletics Excellence Fund which supports competitiveness and recruitment. The athletics program is also linked to Illinois State University according to the official website. Student-athletes utilize facilities such as the OSF HealthCare Athletics Training Center for preparation according to the official website.
Illinois State competes in NCAA Division I events across various regions according to its official website. In addition, fans can access news, schedules, rosters and other resources through its online platform according to its official website.
The second round will begin tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m., when Illinois State tees off alongside Southern Illinois and Murray State.
