Photo by: Michael Hickey
Men's Golf Schedule Announced for 2025-26 Season
July 22, 2025 | Men's Golf
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Hoping to continue a streak with three consecutive years in the top two of the Mid-American Conference, the Ball State Cardinals' men's golf team has announced its schedule for the 2025-26 season that features five team events in both the fall and spring, prior to the 2026 MAC Championships.
Senior Carter Smith leads and young and fresh roster in 2025-26, following the graduation of seniors Kash Bellar, Ali Khan and Braxton Kuntz. Junior Avery Mahoney and sophomores Gavin Hare and Happy Gilmore each return following successful campaigns in 2024-25, each in their first year with the program. Five newcomers are led by junior Cameron Young who qualified for the NCAA Division II regional in each of the past two years as a top standout at the University of Indianapolis. Aidan Gutierrez is a sophomore transfer from Baylor who was the Indiana state high school champion in 2022. Completing the cast are freshman Samuel Harris from Charlestown, Indiana, and Evansville North High School teammates Luke Johnston and Brody Sorrell. Last month, Johnston finished in a second-place tie, with Sorrell tied for 15th, while leading Evansville North to a fifth-place team finish at the 2025 IHSAA state finals.
The fall schedule gets underway on Sunday, Aug. 31 in Harris, Michigan, as part of the 2025 Island Resort Intercollegiate among 12 teams at Sage Run Golf Club. The Golfweek Fall Challenge looms a week later, Sept. 7-9 at Pawley's Island, South Carolina, prior to the Cardinals hosting a pair of tournaments.
Ball State welcomes 14 teams for its Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational, Sept. 20-21, at Delaware Country Club in Muncie, in a tribute to Ball State Athletics Hall of Fame golf coach and administrator Earl Yestingsmeier. The two-day event returns after an absence in 2024-25, and honors the longtime coach who was a mentor to current Cardinals coach Mike Fleck. Fleck enters his 28th year heading the Cardinals program which has known only two head coaches, and two weeks later Ball State hosts an individual event, the Golfweek "Put Me In Coach Invite," again at Delaware Country Club.
Ball State wraps its fall slate with appearances in consecutive weeks at the Purdue Fall Invitational, Oct. 13-14, and the Dayton Flyer Invitational, Oct. 20-21.
The spring season ramps up with five team events prior to the 2026 MAC Championship conducted at Holiday Farms Golf Club in nearby Zionsville, May 3-5. Ball State and Richmond co-host the Cardinals' annual February event, Feb. 9-10, in Dade City, Florida. Formerly a match play event, the Cardinals and Spiders co-host the event that transitions to stroke play this year. Two weeks later, Ball State returns to the Sunshine State as part of the Seminole Intercollegiate, March 15-17, in the Cardinals' lone team event in March.
Following the tournament at Florida State, April features three straight top-rated events as the Cardinals play top courses and top college competition in events hosted by Vanderbilt, West Virginia and Indiana. The Cardinals return to the Mason Rudolph Championship just outside Nashville, April 3-5. The Mountaineer Invitatational welcomes the Cardinals at Pete Dye Golf Club on April 13-14. Later in the same week, April 18-19, Ball State waves its flag and caps the regular season at the Hoosier Invitational at the Indiana University Pfau Course.
Two weeks later, Ball State ventures to the MAC Championship, at which it finished second in 2023, first in 2024 and second last May.
Senior Carter Smith leads and young and fresh roster in 2025-26, following the graduation of seniors Kash Bellar, Ali Khan and Braxton Kuntz. Junior Avery Mahoney and sophomores Gavin Hare and Happy Gilmore each return following successful campaigns in 2024-25, each in their first year with the program. Five newcomers are led by junior Cameron Young who qualified for the NCAA Division II regional in each of the past two years as a top standout at the University of Indianapolis. Aidan Gutierrez is a sophomore transfer from Baylor who was the Indiana state high school champion in 2022. Completing the cast are freshman Samuel Harris from Charlestown, Indiana, and Evansville North High School teammates Luke Johnston and Brody Sorrell. Last month, Johnston finished in a second-place tie, with Sorrell tied for 15th, while leading Evansville North to a fifth-place team finish at the 2025 IHSAA state finals.
The fall schedule gets underway on Sunday, Aug. 31 in Harris, Michigan, as part of the 2025 Island Resort Intercollegiate among 12 teams at Sage Run Golf Club. The Golfweek Fall Challenge looms a week later, Sept. 7-9 at Pawley's Island, South Carolina, prior to the Cardinals hosting a pair of tournaments.
Ball State welcomes 14 teams for its Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational, Sept. 20-21, at Delaware Country Club in Muncie, in a tribute to Ball State Athletics Hall of Fame golf coach and administrator Earl Yestingsmeier. The two-day event returns after an absence in 2024-25, and honors the longtime coach who was a mentor to current Cardinals coach Mike Fleck. Fleck enters his 28th year heading the Cardinals program which has known only two head coaches, and two weeks later Ball State hosts an individual event, the Golfweek "Put Me In Coach Invite," again at Delaware Country Club.
Ball State wraps its fall slate with appearances in consecutive weeks at the Purdue Fall Invitational, Oct. 13-14, and the Dayton Flyer Invitational, Oct. 20-21.
The spring season ramps up with five team events prior to the 2026 MAC Championship conducted at Holiday Farms Golf Club in nearby Zionsville, May 3-5. Ball State and Richmond co-host the Cardinals' annual February event, Feb. 9-10, in Dade City, Florida. Formerly a match play event, the Cardinals and Spiders co-host the event that transitions to stroke play this year. Two weeks later, Ball State returns to the Sunshine State as part of the Seminole Intercollegiate, March 15-17, in the Cardinals' lone team event in March.
Following the tournament at Florida State, April features three straight top-rated events as the Cardinals play top courses and top college competition in events hosted by Vanderbilt, West Virginia and Indiana. The Cardinals return to the Mason Rudolph Championship just outside Nashville, April 3-5. The Mountaineer Invitatational welcomes the Cardinals at Pete Dye Golf Club on April 13-14. Later in the same week, April 18-19, Ball State waves its flag and caps the regular season at the Hoosier Invitational at the Indiana University Pfau Course.
Two weeks later, Ball State ventures to the MAC Championship, at which it finished second in 2023, first in 2024 and second last May.
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
Men's Golf // Season Preview
Sunday, August 31
Ball State Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell discusses the NCAA vs. House Settlement
Tuesday, July 01
Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell discusses NCAA vs. House Settlement & Bill Richards Thank You
Friday, June 27
Podcast // Season 2 finale: Guests - Jeff Mitchell, Eric Steger, Timothy Wiseman, and Jeff Ness
Thursday, May 29