ST. LOUIS -- Illinois State men's golf and Missouri State women's golf are favored in Missouri Valley Conference golf as spring seasons are underway. On the men's side, Illinois State received six first-place votes and 77 total points to edge Valparaiso (70), Drake (60) and defending champion Loyola (58).  Missouri State and Illinois State both received five first-place votes in the women's coaches poll, while Drake had 54 total points right behind SIU (55)  for fifth place.

Tim Lim leads the Bulldogs.  He was All-MVC and an MVC Men's Golf Scholar-Athlete Team member as a senior in 2021.  Lim shared the Zach Johnson Invitational title Sept. 27-28 with North Dakota State as Lucas Scherf tied for second overall (208-69-71-68).  And he placed third in the Early Yestingsmeier Match Play event Feb. 7-8 with match victories over Loyola and Dayton. Freshman Nikko Ganas won all three of his matches to take MVC Golfer of the Week honors. Drake has earned two team titles in 2021-22 so far.

Drake finished tied for third in the Payne Stewart Memorial Sept. 13-14 as Kristen Giles (218) and Haeri Lee (221) finished eighth and 13th respectively. Iowa high school golf coaching veteran and Hyperion Field Club assistant professional Steve Smith has been named as interim women's golf head coach at Drake.