The Valparaiso University men’s golf team has announced its schedule for the 2018-2019 season. The slate includes six fall tournaments and six spring events.

The season gets underway Sept. 2-3 when the Crusaders head to Verona, N.Y. to compete in the Turning Stone Tiger Intercollegiate.

“It's always an exhilarating time of the year for the guys to return to campus, get in some quality practice and play over these next couple of weeks and commence our competitive season,” head coach Dave Gring said. “We are very excited for the new season to start on Labor Day Weekend. The guys have spent a lot of time in their individual practice and played in a lot of tournaments this summer in preparation for this fall.”

An annual staple is back on the schedule from Sept. 9-11 as the Crusaders make their way to Pawleys Island, S.C. for the Golfweek Program Challenge, an event that was cancelled due to inclement weather last season. Valpo will host the Crusader Collegiate at Sand Creek Country Club in Chesterton on Sept. 17-18, the third straight year they’ve held the tournament.

Valpo will travel to Madison, Ill. to participate in SIU Edwardsville’s Derek Dolenc Invitational Sept. 24-25 before heading to West Des Moines, Iowa, where Missouri Valley Conference foe Drake will host the Zach Johnson Invitational Oct. 1-2.

The final competition of the fall season comes on Oct. 15-16 in Highland, Mich. as the Crusaders partake in the Titans Motown Classic at Prestwick Village Golf Course, hosted by Detroit Mercy.

The spring season commences with William & Mary hosting The Invitational at Savannah Harbor in Savannah, Ga. (Feb. 16-17), before Missouri State puts on its annual Twin Oaks Intercollegiate (March 11-12). The spring slate continues with events hosted by the University of North Alabama (March 25-26), Bradley (March 30-31) and Wright State (April 14-15).

The 2019 Missouri Valley Conference Championship will be hosted by Missouri State in Lake of the Ozarks, Mo. on April 22-23.

“We will compete in 12 tournaments this year, traveling to nine different states,” Gring said. “Five of the tournaments will be brand new for us, namely in New York, Alabama, Ohio, Iowa and Illinois. We will be hosting 11 other schools for our home tournament at Sand Creek Country Club in mid-September. This is one of the best schedules that we have had over the past five years, competing against numerous quality Division I teams from all over the country.”

In its first season in the prestigious Missouri Valley Conference, Valpo outperformed pre-tournament expectations in the MVC Championship. The Crusaders bring back a wealth of talent for the 2018-2019 season while welcoming a trio of freshmen to the fold.

“Last year, our team was the youngest team that I have ever coached and this year will be a close second,” Gring said. “We have a lot of experience on the team despite our youth. The guys have had a great summer, they are thrilled to see their teammates this coming week and there is a lot of enthusiasm to get the season started."