Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
Vincennes University

Trailblazers Capture Team Title at DACC Fall Invitational

Trailblazers Capture Team Title at DACC Fall Invitational
Results
September 22, 2025

DANVILLE, Ill. – The Vincennes University Men's Golf team earned its first team victory of the 2025–26 season, capturing the Danville Area Community College Fall Invitational Monday at Danville Country Club. The Trailblazers rallied from a seven-shot deficit midway through the second round to overtake No. 10-ranked Parkland College and secure a four-stroke win. The performance comes on the heels of VU being recognized in the opening Bushnell/Golfweek NJCAA DII Coaches Poll, presented by the Golf Coaches Association of America, where the Trailblazers earned consideration among the nation's top programs.

VU finished with team scores of 297 and 289 for a 36-hole total of 586 (+14), four shots clear of Parkland (+18) and five ahead of Mineral Area College (+19). The win also saw VU top several Region 24 rivals, including host Danville Area Community College, Lewis & Clark Community College, and Lincoln Trail College.

The Trailblazers placed four golfers inside the top 10, led by freshmen Cameron Chattin and Kollin Kelsey, who tied for fourth at +3 (145). Chattin opened with a 70 that featured a 2-under front nine of 34 to give VU early momentum. He added a 75 in round two to secure his top-five finish. Kelsey delivered one of the steadiest performances of the event with rounds of 72–73, his first round highlighted by a 2-under 34 on the front nine to help clinch the team title.

Sophomores Landon Gardner and Brock Naile provided the depth VU needed, tying for sixth at +4 (146) and ninth at +5 (147), respectively. Gardner rebounded from a difficult first round that included a +6 front nine to post one of the low scores of the tournament, a 2-under 69 in round two highlighted by three straight birdies on holes 6, 7, and 8. Naile's steady play kept VU in contention, as he carded rounds of 74–73 with a 34 on the front nine in round two that gave the Blazers another critical counting score. Freshman Zach Trtan tied for 16th at +9 (151), providing two solid rounds of 74 and 77 in his first taste of the Danville layout. Sophomore Parker Steininger, competing as an individual, finished 55th.

Head Coach Dennis Chattin praised the team's resolve after falling behind Parkland early in the final round. "I was concerned about entering the back nine as we fell behind by seven shots to Parkland, who is currently ranked 10th in the coaches poll," Chattin said. "I knew we had some good holes we could score on coming up and kept reminding the guys we were still in it. They responded with a great finish, and that resilience made the difference".

Chattin also noted the unique challenges of the course. "Danville Country Club is a relatively short course in today's world, but it can be misleading because the greens are really tough. They used pin locations in difficult spots to keep the scoring from getting too low. We kept talking about making sure we left our approaches below the hole, and the guys executed that plan well."

The coach emphasized the importance of the victory in building momentum. "We placed four players in the top 10, led by two freshmen in Cameron and Kollin. That shows our depth and potential. This win is a good springboard for our confidence moving forward," Chattin said.

The Trailblazers now turn their attention to hosting the VU Fall Invitational, set for September 29–30 at Cypress Hills Golf Club in Vincennes, Indiana. This year's event will feature a unique twist, as it will be contested in a match play format against Region 24 rival Lincoln Trail College.

"We have a bit of an unusual event in that our next tournament is a match play event that we seldom play," Chattin said. "It's a good break in the routine and fun for the guys to play head-to-head. While it's not totally like the Ryder Cup, it does incorporate the match play portion, so the timing could not be better."

Join the Journey

As always, fans can keep up with the Vincennes University Golf squad all year long through a number of ways: