This season, the men’s golf team will feature seven returning players in addition to four incoming transfers. Ethan Brue from Illinois Central College, Yuan “Leo” Li from Kentucky, and twin brothers Branden and Michael Mounce, who last played at Illinois State, will all make their debuts as Bradley golfers.
The men’s roster will also feature a fresh face in freshman Charles Jahn from Sperry, Iowa, to add some youth to a veteran roster. As a junior in high school, Jahn was a first-team All-State selection by the Des Moines Register publication, claiming individual conference and district titles before finishing fourth at the Class 2A state championship.
While a senior, Jahn won a Class 2A sectional title and finished sixth at the Iowa Class 2A state championship. Jahn is looking forward to bringing his history of success with him to Bradley.
“I am excited about getting to play golf at a very competitive level,” Jahn said. “I am also excited to have new teammates and a coach who knows a lot about the game of golf. I want to see how the upperclassmen on my team handle pressure situations as well as the little things they do to turn a good round of golf into a great round of golf.”
Even as a freshman, Jahn has high expectations for himself this season.
“Hopefully this season, I can find my way into the starting five and compete in many tournaments throughout the school year,” Jahn said.
The women’s golf team will see head coach Mary Swanson in her seventh year at Bradley. The women will also have seven returning players while adding two to the roster in Peoria native Lexi Hammerton and Stanley Wang from China.
“We are excited about the additions of Lexi and Stanley,” Swanson said. “Lexi is the first Peoria-area player we have had for a while, and she brings a wealth of experience from her time at junior college.”
Hammerton will have two years of eligibility remaining at Bradley after attending Rend Lake Junior College while Wang will start as a freshman.
“While Stanley flew under the radar as a high school golfer, when she came to Peoria it ended up being a perfect fit for her in terms of what she desires academically and athletically,” Swanson said.
The women’s golf team will open their 2016-2017 season on Sept. 4 and 5 at the Redbird Invitational in Normal, Illinois, while the men will open their season on Sept. 6 and 7 at the Crusader Collegiate in Chesterton, Indiana.
