VALLEY CITY, N.D. – The Valley City State University men's golf team will open its 2026-27 season Monday and Tuesday at the Blue Hawk Fall Invitational in Dickinson, North Dakota.
The opening round will be played Monday, Sept. 14, at Heart River Golf Course in Dickinson. The tournament concludes Tuesday, Sept. 15, at Pheasant Country Golf Course in South Heart.
BLUE HAWK FALL INVITATIONAL
Monday, Sept. 14
Round 1 – Heart River Golf Course
Dickinson, N.D.
Tuesday, Sept. 15
Round 2 – Pheasant Country Golf Course
South Heart, N.D.
VIKINGS RETURN THREE
VCSU returns three golfers from last season's team: senior Owen Haase and sophomores Nick Meisch and Tony Piccalo.
Haase and Meisch each finished inside the top 20 at last season's Frontier Conference Championships. Haase led the Vikings with a 14th-place finish after carding rounds of 82, 73 and 76 for a 231 total. Meisch followed in 18th place with rounds of 76, 85 and 75 for a 236.
VCSU placed seventh at the conference tournament with a three-round team score of 975 after posting rounds of 322, 333 and 320.
RETURNING EXPERIENCE
Haase and Meisch were among VCSU's most consistent golfers throughout last season. Haase tied for 14th at the Beartooth Invitational with rounds of 72, 73 and 78 for a 223 total. He also finished ninth at the Spartan Invitational and tied for ninth at the Comet Invitational.
Meisch tied for 19th at the first Frontier Conference tournament after closing with a 1-under-par 71. He later tied for ninth at the Comet Invitational with rounds of 75 and 79.
Piccalo also returns after gaining experience throughout his freshman season and competing in VCSU's conference and nonconference tournaments.
SIX NEWCOMERS JOIN THE PROGRAM
The Vikings welcome six freshmen to the roster this season: Parker Dockter of Forman, North Dakota; Jace Fyre of Milnor, North Dakota; Dylan Hedge of Bowman, North Dakota; Xander Klinnert of Wahpeton, North Dakota; Noah Stockdill of Bismarck, North Dakota; and Bryce Zietz of Rugby, North Dakota.
The six newcomers join VCSU's three returners to form a nine-player roster.
FRONTIER CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL
VCSU was selected seventh in the 2026-27 Frontier Conference Men's Golf Coaches' Preseason Poll with 12 points.
Defending conference champion Rocky Mountain College was selected as the preseason favorite with 49 points and six first-place votes. Bellevue was picked second with 42 points, while Montana Tech and Dickinson State tied for third with 31 points each. Montana Tech received the remaining first-place vote.
LOOKING AHEAD
Following the Blue Hawk Fall Invitational, the Vikings will return to competition on September 17th at the Spartan Invitational as they continue their fall tournament schedule.
