Men's Golf | March 6

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – The Northern Illinois University men's golf team opened its 2022 spring season this weekend at the Desert Mountain Collegiate, hosted by Michigan at Desert Mountain Golf Club. In a field that included seven teams ranked in the top-100 of the GolfStat rankings, the Huskies finished 14^th.
 
"This was a strong field of mostly southern schools, many of which had played already this spring," said head coach John Carlson. "The conditions yesterday afternoon were top-five most difficult I've faced as a coach. It was 55 degrees with 30 mile per hour winds on a really hard golf course. It was a lot to process, not just your ball striking but your short game as well to make up for missed greens. I was really proud of the way our guys battled out there."
 
Michael Cascino (Palos Park, Ill./Butler) was NIU's top finisher in the event, placing in a tie for 31^st with a 54-hole score of eight-over par 224. He opened the tournament with a one-under par 71 in Saturday's opening round. After a second round 82, Cascino posted seven birdies in Sunday's final round for another one-under par 71.
 
"Michael definitely has a formula that works to get his game ready early in the spring," Carlson said. "His short game is at a really high level all the time. Other than a stretch of 12 holes in the afternoon yesterday, he could have found himself in the top five. In each round, it seemed like we had two guys play really well. It's on us as a coaching staff to make sure we have more consistent play from all five guys as we move forward."
 
Tommy Dunsire (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central) also placed in the top-40, tying for 39^th at 10-over par. After an opening round 78, Dunsire posted back-to-back rounds of two-over par 74.
 
Reece Nilsen (Tucson, Arizona/Grand Canyon) started out Saturday the same as Cascino with a one-under 71 in the first round. He posted an 83 in the afternoon's tough conditions and bounced back Sunday with a final round 75 to finish tied for 52^nd at +13. Ben Sluzas (Lockport, Ill./Lockport) battled the windy conditions Saturday afternoon to post a one-over par 73, the Huskies' low score in round two. He finished the tournament in a tie for 57^th at +14.
 
NIU had a team score of +10 298 on Sunday, equaling its first round team score. At +43, the Huskies finished one stroke ahead of Grand Canyon and one behind Lipscomb for 13^th place. The host Wolverines won the tournament by four strokes over UAB and Little Rock.
 
The Huskies are next in action April 9-10 at the Aggie Invitational, hosted by Texas A&M at Traditions Club.
 
--NIU--