Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
Vincennes University

Trailblazers Open Spring Season with Third-Place Finish at Spring Skyhawk Invite

Trailblazers Open Spring Season with Third-Place Finish at Spring Skyhawk Invite
Results
March 3, 2026

NEWNAN, Ga. – The Vincennes University Men's Golf team opened its spring season Monday and Tuesday with a strong showing at the Spring Skyhawk Invite, finishing third overall in the nine-team field at Newnan Country Club. The Trailblazers posted rounds of +23, +33, and +23 to finish the 54-hole event at +79, trailing tournament champion SCAD Atlanta (+45) and host Point University (+51).

NJCAA Hall of Fame Head Coach Dennis Chattin, now in his 22nd season leading the Trailblazers, said the early-season event provided a valuable test as the team returned to competition following the winter break. "First tournaments after the winter layoff are always tough, but finishing third in an NAIA event when this was only our fourth time on grass this spring is a good start," Chattin said. "Playing down south against teams used to Bermuda grass isn't easy, but it's still better than trying to open the spring in cold northern weather."

Sophomore Landon Gardner led VU with an eighth-place finish at +16, highlighted by a final-round 73, the team's lowest round of the tournament. Gardner climbed the leaderboard with a strong closing round that included a stretch of three-under-par over six holes, helping him move up 11 spots on the final day.

Sophomore Cameron Chattin added another steady performance for the Trailblazers, finishing tied for 12th at +20 with rounds of 76, 79, and 81. "Cameron has been our most consistent qualifier," Chattin said. "He just didn't convert enough birdie opportunities this week, but it was still a solid 12th-place finish."

Sophomore Brock Naile finished tied for 15th at +21, posting scores of 77, 82, and 78. Naile found his rhythm in the final round with four birdies, though a pair of double bogeys kept him from climbing higher on the leaderboard. "Brock really got into birdie mode in the final round," Chattin said. "Unfortunately, two double bogeys got in the way of what could have been a really strong score."

Sophomore Kadin Gibson finished tied for 21st at +25 with rounds of 80, 80, and 81, while freshman Kollin Kelsey placed tied for 23rd at +27 after scores of 79, 85, and 79. Sophomore Parker Steininger, competing individually, finished tied for 31st at +34 with rounds of 85, 82, and 83.

Chattin said the team showed flashes of strong play early before encountering some difficulties midway through the tournament. "We got off to a really good start as a team but struggled late in the first round and into the second," Chattin said. "We regrouped and played better again in the third round, which helped us climb back to a third-place finish."

VU also finished ahead of Wallace State Community College, the only other two-year program in the field, while competing primarily against NAIA programs. "Playing up against NAIA teams should help us in the next rankings," Chattin added.

The Trailblazers will return to action March 16–17 at the Pellissippi State Invitational, hosted at Willow Creek Golf Club in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Join the Journey

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