Rockford, Ill. -- The final day of the CCIW Men's Golf Championship and the 2025-26 season arrived for the Thunder on Friday, as Wheaton's five-man squad returned to the Aldeen Golf Club for the third round of this year's conference tournament. The Thunder team saved its best day on the course for last, as Wheaton shot a combined total of 297 (+9) this morning to keep hold of its seventh-placed standing in the field. Junior Wyatt Brown and freshman Micah Chiong represented Wheaton on this year's All-CCIW Teams, with Brown earning First Team accolades as the Thunder's highest finisher at the event and Chiong being named to the Second Team after posting a Top 20 finish. 

Illinois Wesleyan University extended its dominance of the conference championship to a 14th-straight year, as the Titans won this week's competition with a cumulative total of 867 (+3), a convincing 42 strokes ahead of the runner-up, Augustana College (909, +45). Augie's fellow Vikings, North Park University, came in sixth in the nine-team standings after registering a tournament total of 920. This tally was five shots better than Wheaton's final score of 925, while the Thunder carved out a 14-stroke cushion ahead of eighth-placed North Central College on 939. Wheaton's third round total of 297 on Friday was the second-best outing of the competition's final leg, bettered only by the conference champions' 291.

Three of the five participating Thunder competitors shot a 73 (+1) today to end the conference tournament on a strong note. Brown (pictured far right with All-Conference medal) was one of these three players and secured a Top 10 finish on the 45-man leaderboard by tying for ninth place overall with a three-day total of 225 (+9). Brown's achievement extends Wheaton's four-year streak of having an All-CCIW honoree place in the Top 10 of the conference championship. 

Chiong matched Brown on a score of 73 this morning to jump up into the competition's Top 20 with a T-19th finish via a three-round tally of 230 (+14). This impressive closing stretch gave the rookie (pictured at left in the middle) his first All-Conference accolade at his first possible opportunity.

The senior and 2023 All-CCIW honoree Tannen Reed ended his Thunder career with a noteworthy 73 in Friday's concluding round to card a three-day total of 234 (+18) and finish right in the middle of the pack at T-24th. At the end of the tournament, Reed was named Wheaton's 2025-26 CCIW RESPECT Award winner for displaying good sporting behavior and positive character throughout the competition.

Baylor Brogan wrapped up his junior season with an 18-hole mark of 84 this morning and entered the clubhouse with a tournament score of 242 (+26). Fellow third-year student-athlete Luke Pringle concluded his first season with the program with his best outing of the week, shooting a 78 (+6) on Friday to tally an overall total of 244 (+28).

After a busy spring schedule and an action-packed three days in Rockford, the Thunder squad will now head into the summer offseason and is set to return a majority of its roster for the 2026-27 campaign starting in September.

 

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Rockford, Ill. -- The Thunder men's golf team returned to the Aldeen Golf Club links on Thursday morning to take part in the second of the 2026 CCIW Championship's three rounds. Wheaton maintained its seventh-place standing after today's 18 holes of competition, and the team's five-player squad was again led by Wyatt Brown with the top score of the day. This year's conference tournament will conclude with a third and final round on Friday morning.

There was plenty of movement in the middle of the nine-team standings on Thursday, but reigning champions and tournament favorites Illinois Wesleyan remained in first place and now lead the field by a healthy 32-stroke margin with a two-day total of 576. Millikin and Carthage surged up the rankings this morning and are currently tied for second place with scores of 608. Wheaton bettered its opening day performance by two shots, shooting a 313 in today's round to stay in seventh on a combined tally of 628. Sixth-placed Elmhurst carded a team score of 307 for the second round running to check in 14 strokes ahead of the Thunder, while North Central sits six shots behind Wheaton in eighth place on a 634 mark after racking up a round score of 318 this morning.

The Winfield native Brown followed up his Wednesday opener with a 78 (+6) outing this morning to fall just outside of the Top 10 and tie for 13th on the 45-player leaderboard with a two-day total of 152 (+8). The upperclassman will be looking to secure his first career All-Conference recognition in Friday's finale, as the top ten finishers are awarded First Team honors and the golfers in 11th-20th place are named Second Team honorees.

The rookie Micah Chiong continued his solid championship debut with a three-stroke improvement on his first round by logging a 77 (+5) on Thursday to tie for 28th via a combined score of 157 (+13). Baylor Brogan matched Chiong's 77 today and entered the clubhouse a single shot behind the freshman on a two-round tally of 158. Tannen Reed carded an 81 (+9) across today's 18 holes and owns a two-day mark of 161, while Luke Pringle registered a round score of 84 on Thursday to set his tournament tally at 166 heading into the final round.

Friday's concluding segment will begin at 9:00 AM in Rockford, with Wheaton's golfers starting the day's schedule off in the first group alongside players from North Central and Carroll.

 

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Rockford, Ill. -- Postseason competition finally began for the Wheaton men's golf team on Wednesday afternoon, as the Thunder opened their three-day residency at the 2026 CCIW Men's Golf Championship. This year's conference tournament is being hosted by Millikin University at the Aldeen Golf Club in Rockford and will consist of three 18-hole rounds played over three-consecutive days. After today's opening installment, the Thunder sit seventh in the nine-team field and were led by junior Wyatt Brown this afternoon, who currently resides in the Top 10 of the 45-player leaderboard.

The 13-time defending champions and pre-tournament favorites Illinois Wesleyan University lead the team standings after Wednesday's opening round with a total score of 284 (-4). The Vikings of North Park and Augustana are tied for second place, with each squad sitting 17 strokes off the Titans' pace on marks of 301. Wheaton carded a combined first-round tally of 315 (+27) this afternoon and sit one stroke behind Carthage College in sixth and one shot ahead of North Central in eighth. The Carroll Pioneers currently trail the field with a 322 score heading into tomorrow's second round.

Five student-athletes are representing the Thunder in this week's tournament, and the cohort was paced by the third-year golfer Brown on Wednesday, who registered an opening round mark of 74 (+2). He is currently tied for seventh place in the 45-man solo standings, sitting seven shots behind the early competition leader from IWU and a single stroke out of the top five.

The rest of Wheaton's squad all entered this evening's clubhouse near each other on the leaderboard. Senior Tannen Reed and freshman Micah Chiong each posted an 18-hole score of 80 today to enter a tie for 31st, while Baylor Brogan carded an 81 and fellow junior Luke Pringle tallied an 82 to round out the lineup.

Thursday's second round will begin at 9:00 AM in Rockford, with Pringle the first Thunder player to tee off tomorrow morning followed by his teammates in nine-minute increments.