Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
Missouri Valley Conference Championships
De Schutter Caps Career; Dawgs Place Third at MVC
04/28/2026 | 11:14:00 | Men's Golf
Southern Illinois men's golf closed out the Missouri Valley Conference Championship with a strong final-round performance, securing a third-place team finish against a competitive field.
The Salukis were led by Anthony DeSchutter, competing in the final tournament of his career, who capped off an outstanding week with a runner-up finish at 9-under par. DeSchutter earned All-Missouri Valley Conference honors alongside teammates Ben Keil and Jaeseung Na, and also took home one of the league's top accolades—MVC Golfer of the Year. His consistency across all three rounds proved to be one of the defining performances of the championship, keeping him in contention from start to finish. He concludes the season with three tournament wins, five top-10 finishes, and four top-three finishes.
Ben Keil delivered another impressive performance, finishing fifth at 5-under. His steady play throughout the tournament provided SIU with a reliable presence near the top of the leaderboard and played a key role in the team's success. In addition to earning All-Conference honors, Keil was also named MVC Newcomer of the Year.
Fellow All-Conference honoree Jaeseung Na finished finished 19th at 6-over, while Blake Saffell followed in 21st at 7-over. Frank Bellino rounded out the Saluki lineup with a 35th-place finish at 11-over.
As a team, Southern Illinois finished the championship at 6-under par, earning a third-place finish behind co-champions who both concluded play at 13-under. The Salukis remained within striking distance throughout the event and demonstrated resilience across all three rounds.
With a runner-up individual finish and two players placing inside the top five, SIU showcased its depth and competitiveness on the conference stage. The performance marks a strong close to the season.
