NASHVILLE – University of Southern Indiana Men's Golf earned their best team finish of the 2024-25 season on Monday and Tuesday at the Tennessee State University Big Blue Invitational. The Screaming Eagles finished third overall with a three-round score of 858 (288, 282, 288) at six over par.
 
Senior Jason Bannister highlighted the Eagles' week individually with his fourth top-five finish of the season. The senior standout finished third with a three-round score of 208 (69, 71, 68). Senior Sam Vertanen and junior Carter Goebel also delivered strong performances contributing to three Screaming Eagles finishing in the top 20.  
 
Round 1
USI delivered a respectable start to the tournament at four over par (288). Vertanen and Bannister came out firing tied for third overall as they each shot a 69. The two combined to commit only two bogeys, totaling 28 pars and six birdies.
 
Freshman Alex Peck and Goebel rounded out the scoring as both shot a 75. Moreover, USI had the chance to win the tournament if depth rises to the occasion with lower scores between the third and fourth scorers.
 
Round 2
Following the conclusion of round two, USI improved by six strokes and jumped into third place, shooting two under par as a team (282). The Eagles closed to within six strokes of first-place Arkansas-Pine Bluff with one round to play on Tuesday. All four scorers supplied consistent performances as USI finished round two with scores of 69, 71, 71, and 71.
 
Five different Eagles scored on Monday as senior Wade Worthington stepped up in round two with a 71. The senior delivered his best 18-hole score of the season, improving by nine strokes from his first round.
 
Additionally, Peck (T20), Vertanen (T16), Geobel (T14) and Bannister (T4) all finished round two in the top 20 of the individual leaderboard. Goebel was the biggest riser, jumping 24 spots into a tie for 14^th after shooting his fourth sub-70 score of the season with a 69. The junior totaled an impressive three birdies and a seven-hole par streak.
 
Peck improved by four strokes with a 71. The round marked the best of the freshman's career by two strokes. Peck jumped into a tie for 20^th heading in Tuesday.
 
Round 3
The Screaming Eagles concluded the tournament with another round of four over par (288). The effort ranked third in the 14-team field with a final score of 858 at six over par (288, 282, 288).
 
Bannister finished with another exceptional score of three under par. The senior finished third overall and only four strokes outside of first with a final line of 69, 71, 68 (-5). The score ties his personal best 54-hole record of 208, which stands tied for second all time.
 
Vertanen also excelled in round three at one under par. He jumped five spots into 11^th overall with a final line of 69, 75, 70 (+2). The final score of 215 marks the best 54-hole score of the spring for Vertanen who enters the final stretch of his senior year in strong form.
 
Goebel kept the Eagles close with a final round score of one over par. The junior only committed one bogey and totaled 17 pars in the final round, finishing in 16^th with a score of 216 (75, 69, 72). The three-round score marked his best total since the SIUE Dolenc Invitational in September.
 
Peck rounded out the scoring with a 78 and dropped 25 spots into 45^th after his sensational second round. Worthington totaled an 79, finishing in 70^th.
 
What's Next
The Screaming Eagles final regular-season tournament will be a split weekend with part of the squad heading to the Wright State University Invitational on April 13-14 and other individuals will compete in the Vincennes University Spring Invitational.