NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The Bethany College men's and women's golf teams have been picked to finish eighth and tenth in the 2026-27 Presidents' Athletic Conference Pre-Championships Coaches Poll, respectively.

The Bethany women's team was picked tenth in the preseason poll for the third straight season after receiving 28 points. Westminster (Pa.) College tops the poll once again as the defending conference champions received 106 points with nine first-place votes. Grove City (Pa.) College placed second with 93 points while Allegheny (Pa.) College came in third with two first-place votes and 87 points. Washington & Jefferson earned 82 points to finish fourth while Saint Vincent (Pa.) College checked in at fifth after receiving the final first-place vote and 68 points.

The men's team checks in at eighth with 31 points ahead of the 2026 Fall Championships after being selected sixth a season ago. Allegheny looks to defend their conference title as the Gators place first with 87 points and seven first-place votes while Grove City follows right behind with 79 points and four first-place votes. W&J, Saint Vincent, and Westminster round out the top five with 68 points, 63 points, and 57 points, respectively.

The Bison placed five golfers on the PAC's Players to Watch list including Academic All-PAC junior Natalie DuShole (Waterford, Pa./Fort LeBouf) and Academic All-PAC sophomore Shelby Cascioli (Lapeer, Mich.) on the women's team, and senior Payton Hildebrand (Wellsburg, W.Va./Wheeling Central Catholic), Academic All-PAC senior Sam Phillips (Charleston, W.Va./Herbert Hoover), and All-PAC senior Jude Smith (Weirton, W.Va./Weir) to represent the men's team. 

First-year Head Coach Evan Lewis welcomes back 10 letterwinners, one All-President Athletic Conference selection, and four Academic All-PAC honorees from last year's squad. Last season, the men's golf team finished eighth overall at the 2025-26 PAC Championships while the women's golf team competed individually in both the PAC's fall and spring championships.

2026-27 PAC Women's Golf Pre-Championships Poll
School - Points (First Place Votes)

        1. Westminster - 106 (9)
        2. Grove City - 93
        3. Allegheny - 87 (2)
        4. Washington & Jefferson - 82
        5. Saint Vincent - 68 (1)
        6. Geneva - 54
        T-7. Thiel - 43
        T-7. Franciscan - 43
        9. Waynesburg - 42
        10. Bethany - 28
        11. Hiram - 25
        Saint Francis - Ineligible for PAC Championship as school transitions from Division I

2026-27 PAC Men's Golf Pre-Championships Poll
School - Points (First Place Votes)

        1. Allegheny - 87 (7)
        2. Grove City - 79 (4)
        3. Washington & Jefferson - 68
        4. Saint Vincent - 63
        5. Westminster - 57
        6. Waynesburg - 42
        7. Thiel - 33
        8. Bethany - 31
        9. Geneva - 27
        10. Hiram - 18
        Saint Francis - Ineligible for PAC Championship as school transitions from Division I

The Bison are back in action on Monday, October 12 as they open the Presidents' Athletic Conference Fall Championships. The women's team will tee off at 10:30 a.m. at Squaw Creek-Avalon Golf & Country Club in Vienna, Ohio while the men's team will begin at 10:30 at Avalon Lakes Golf Course in Warren, Ohio.