BRIGHTON, Mich. – The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has announced the results of its 2026-27 Men's Golf Coaches' Poll. The Trine University men's golf team has been selected as the favorite to claim the conference title in April.
 
The Thunder earned 46 points and five first place votes, narrowly topping rival Calvin University by one point. The Knights claimed the final three first place votes and were followed by Hope College, Adrian College, and Albion College to round out the top five. Kalamazoo College was forecasted sixth with Alma College and The University of Olivet in seventh and eighth.
 
Trine opens its season on September 5 in the Bluegrass State at the Transylvania Fall Invitational. Trine then travels east to the Toftrees Invitational in Altoona, Pa. The Thunder then host their next two events, first the annual Ken Venturi Invitational on September 22 and MIAA Jamboree #1 on September 29. The fall season concludes with the final three MIAA events on October 3, 19, and 26. October 5 and 6 sees Trine travel to the famed Firestone Country Club for the Blue Streak Invitational, hosted by John Carroll University.
 
Returning for the Thunder this year is junior duo Jack Besner and Jake Bilby. Besner returns for his third year with the Thunder as a two-time first team All-MIAA honoree. The Whiteland, Indiana native also owns a pair of MIAA victories in his career and has the 10^th best career average in program history with 75.81 strokes. Like Besner, Bilby is a two-time All-MIAA honoree. The Albany, Indiana native has checked in on the MIAA second team in each of his seasons in the Monument City. Bilby claimed medalist honors at MIAA Jamboree #3 as a freshman and ranks ninth in program history with a 75.79 stroke average.
 
Lance Decker returns to Trine's lineup after a stellar freshman season. The sophomore posted a season average of 76.40 and was regular in the Thunder's top four scores. Trine will look to junior Nathan Brennan and sophomore Myles Secor to solidify the starting five.