Michigan
Virtues Intercollegiate
Wolverines Seek Three-Peat at Season-Opening Virtues Intercollegiate
8/27/2026 3:43:00 PM | Men's Golf
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's golf team opens its 2026-27 season on Saturday and Sunday (Aug. 29-30), traveling to Nashport, Ohio, for the Virtues Intercollegiate. Co-hosted by Mid-American Conference members Bowling Green and Miami (Ohio), the two-day, 54-hole event will be held at the Virtues Golf Club, which will be set up for a par 72 at 7,423 yards.
Notes
• The Virtues Intercollegiate features a 12-team field: Bowling Green, Cleveland State, Detroit Mercy, Evansville, Loyola Chicago, Marshall, Miami (Ohio), Michigan, Northern Illinois, Richmond, Robert Morris and Wright State.
• In a rare opportunity, Michigan will travel its entire 11-man roster to the season opener. With qualifying continuing in the lead-up to the event, the Wolverines' five-man lineup and six individual competitors have yet to be determined.
• After a year away, Michigan returns to the Virtues Intercollegiate seeking its third straight title after winning back-to-back championships in 2023 and 2024.
• In 2023, the Wolverines posted an 830 (-34) -- the second-lowest 54-hole total in program history -- to win by 23 shots. Ben Hoagland and Yuqi Liu joined Ohio's Will Kates as tri-medalists at 207 (-9). In 2024, Michigan used a second-round 276 (-12) to repeat as team champion, finishing with a 559 (-17) total in the rain-shortened, 36-hole event. Liu captured his second straight individual title with a 137 (-7; 69-68). [ 2023 Recap | 2024 Recap ]
• During its two championship runs, the Maize and Blue posted five straight team rounds below par and averaged 277.80 per round. Four of the five rounds were below 280, highlighted by an opening-round 274 (-14) in 2023.
• The Wolverines opened last season with three straight top-four finishes, highlighted by a program-record 822 (-42) at the Island Resort Intercollegiate. U-M capped the victory with a final-round 267. Michigan's best spring finish was fifth at the Louisiana Classics before placing 11th at the Big Ten Championships.
• Michigan returns an experienced core after relying on a young lineup throughout the 2025-26 season. RJ Arone, Dean Muratore and Nilay Naik handled much of the scoring, while Jordan Hwang competed in 10 of the Wolverines' 11 team events.
• Arone led Michigan with a career-best 71.00 scoring average, more than two strokes lower than his freshman average. He recorded eight top-20 finishes, played 21 of his 32 rounds at or below par and tied for 14th at the Big Ten Championships.
• Muratore averaged 71.59 and posted four top-20 finishes, highlighted by his first collegiate victory at the Jim DeLapa Collegiate. He shot 66-64-66 for a 196 (-14) total and a six-shot win.
• Naik started all 11 events and tied for 20th at the Big Ten Championships, finishing second among the Wolverines. Hwang closed his freshman season with a career-best tie for sixth at the Hoosier Collegiate, while Nicolas Simon lowered his scoring average from 77.00 to 72.90 during his second season.
