Grand Rapids Reporter

The Ferris State University men's golf team has advanced to the 2024 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Championship finals following a strong performance on Saturday in Augusta, Michigan. The Bulldogs finished third overall in the 36-hole stroke play portion of the league championships, securing their place in the semifinals as one of the top four teams.

In the head-to-head medal match play semifinals, Ferris State defeated Wayne State with a score of 3-2, earning a spot in Sunday's championship match against rival Grand Valley State. Grand Valley State had previously defeated Saginaw Valley State by a score of 3-1-1. The league final is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. (ET) on Sunday.

This marks the fifth consecutive year that Ferris State has reached at least the semifinal round at the league men's golf championships. The Bulldogs began their campaign on Friday in second place after posting a first-round score of 290. They followed up with a team score of 296 on Saturday morning, finishing with an overall score of +18 for both rounds. This placed them behind only Grand Valley State (-11) and Wayne State (+15) among nine competing schools.

During stroke play, Nathan Kraynyk led Ferris State with a sixth-place finish and a total score of 144 over two rounds, shooting scores of 74 and 70. McCoy Biagioli and Sam Havey tied for 13th place with scores of 147 each. Zach Koerner achieved a share of 17th place with a total score of 148, while Caleb Bond finished tied for 25th at 152.

In the medal match semifinals, Biagioli and Kraynyk secured two-shot wins each, while Bond contributed with a one-shot win to clinch victory for Ferris State.

The event is being held at Gull Lake View Golf Club and Resort near Battle Creek on the Stoatin Brae Golf Club course in Augusta, Michigan. The par-71 course measures at 6,742 yards.

The GLIAC Championships have maintained this format for four years now: each school competes in two rounds of stroke play before moving to head-to-head medal match play for semifinals and finals—similar to NCAA Championships formats.

Gull Lake View Golf Club & Resort is known as one of the largest golf resorts globally, offering six championship courses where golfers can enjoy playing without repeating any holes over six days.

Historically, Ferris State's men's golf team has won 21 GLIAC Men's Golf Championships and claimed back-to-back medal match play titles in both 2019 and 2021; there was no tournament held in 2020 due to unforeseen circumstances. In recent years they were runners-up in the year prior to this tournament.