The Valparaiso University men’s golf program and head coach Dave Gring have announced the signing of Rodrigo Garcia Teruel (Puebla, Mexico / Modern Academy) and Rob Politza (Lemont, Ill. / Lemont Township), who will join the program for the 2024-2025 season.

Garcia Teruel qualified for golf regionals as a team in high school, and was invited to AJGA Invitational tournaments (Mayakoba Invitational and Wyndham Invitational) during the summer of 2022 as part of the Mexico national team. He was the second-best junior player ranked in the valley of Mexico in 2022. Other honors include qualifying and playing in the U.S. Junior Amateur at Bandon Dunes in 2022, receiving an invite and playing in the International Junior Masters, finishing third individually in the FMG LXXI Mexican – International Junior, posting five top-5 finishes and nine top-20 finishes during the year 2022 and playing at the Mexican International Amateur representing AGVM.

“Rodrigo will be the first international player to play for our team,” Gring said. “We are thrilled to have his commitment to our program and he brings a lot of skill, talent and experience to our team. He has played in a wide variety of highly competitive tournaments over his junior career in both Mexico and the United States on the local and national levels. Rodrigo plays with a tremendous amount of confidence; his swing mechanics are exceptional and he’s very patient and strategic in his course management.”

Garcia Teruel played soccer in Club America, one of the best clubs in the league in Mexico as a junior. He earned TEC Academic Awards in 2023 for having an overall average of 90 or more out of 100 during Grade 10 and Grade 11. He knows how to speak fluent Spanish and English as well as some French. He started playing golf at age 5 and began competing in tournaments during age 10. During his two years as an exchange student in a golf academy in Canada, he learned how to live on his own and learned about a new culture.

“I love the athleticism and competitiveness that Rodrigo brings to our team, having played numerous sports his entire life – baseball, tennis, soccer and golf,” Gring said. “With a height just over six feet tall, Rodrigo also generates a lot of clubhead speed and matches that with terrific accuracy. Despite making some swing changes over the past 1.5 years, I’ve enjoyed watching his ball-striking and the clubface control that he displays throughout a round. His family is wonderful and they have been a huge source of support and encouragement as Rodrigo has developed his game over the years.”

Politza was a Duneland Athletic Conference and sectional medalist in 2022 as a sophomore before earning South Suburban Conference medalist honors as a junior. He was a semifinalist of the Chick Evans Junior Amateur and won the following Mid-American Junior Golf Tour (MAJGT) events – Ruffled Feathers, Golf Club of Illinois and Countryside Golf Club.

“Rob is one of the most competitive players I have ever met,” Gring said. “The young man absolutely loves to play in tournaments and he loves to compete, no matter what he's doing. His work ethic is tremendous and his leadership skills are exemplary. Rob is blessed with a wonderful support system around him, from his Mom and Dad to his high school teachers and coach to his swing coach, who is one of the best in the country.”

Politza has been golfing for 10 years and has six years of tournament experience. In addition to winning four varsity letters in golf, he is currently on his high school’s bowling team. He credits his supportive family – including his sister who is competing at the Division-I level as a track & field and cross country athlete at Oklahoma State – for his success on the links.

“Rob brings a lot of talent to our team,” Gring said. “One of his strengths and the most efficient club in his bag is his driver, where he has tremendous clubhead speed and yet he still displays exceptional accuracy. He’s a very good putter and he can make a lot of birdies in a given round when the putter is hot. I’ve been impressed with his course management in tournaments that I have watched him play and he makes a lot of good decisions throughout his round and has a great demeanor on the course.”

The duo will join a Valpo program that is in the midst of a historic run of success, including back-to-back Missouri Valley Conference Championship team runner-up honors, consecutive years where the Beacons have boasted the MVC individual medalist and a season in which the team reached the postseason in the National Golf Invitational (NGI) and two individuals earned NCAA Regional berths.

“The culture that we continue to build and develop on this team is extremely important to all of our players and coaches,” Gring said. “It’s really special and our entire team is confident that Rodrigo and Rob will bring an incredible work ethic, a willingness to learn and grow and a competitive edge that will make our team even stronger and more successful in the years to come. The two of them have excelled in the classroom with their grades and what they have achieved on the golf course is noteworthy. With great excitement and anticipation, we welcome them to the Valpo Family and we will look forward to having them on campus next fall.”