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West Central Reporter

Sunday, October 19, 2025

Western Illinois golf teams to compete in Windy City Classic

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Western Illinois University Leathernecks Men's Golf | Western Illinois University Leathernecks

Western Illinois University Leathernecks Men's Golf | Western Illinois University Leathernecks

The Western Illinois University Leathernecks men's and women's golf teams are set to compete in the Windy City Classic, scheduled for October 6-7 at Harborside International Golf Center in Chicago. This marks the final fall tournament for the men's team and the second of four fall tournaments for the women's team.

Owen Howe has been recognized as the first Leatherneck to earn the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Golfer of the Week Award for 2025. He achieved a total score of 210 (-3) across three rounds and scored even par in round two at the Zach Johnson Invitational.

Returning members on the men's side include Bayden Hubacher, Nathan Tillman, Mateo Rascon, Owen Howe, and Maverick Schwabe. Hubacher and Tillman participated in all four events last season, while Rascon’s best finish was a tie for 18th at last year’s OVC Championships. Howe tied for 38th at those championships, and Schwabe placed 29th.

For the women’s team, returners include Cianna Law, Makayla Mussatto, and Sophia Thorne—all of whom played in five events last season. Thorne's top performance was tying for 34th place at the OVC Championships.

New additions to the men’s roster are Easton Korell from New Sharon, Iowa—who won first place at the Western Iowa Junior Open—and Julian Ramon Ortiz from San Luis Potosí, Mexico. The women’s squad welcomes Libby Larkin from Waterloo, Iowa; she qualified for NJCAA national championships with Hawkeye Community College. Dina Khvastovich joins from Belarus with several titles including the Women's Belarus Golf Open Cup.

The Windy City Classic will feature two rounds on Monday followed by a third round on Tuesday. Men's competitors include Chicago State, Paine College, Davenport, Bowie State, Alabama State, Eastern Illinois University (EIU), Winston-Salem State, Christian Brothers University, and Jackson State. The women's field includes University of Southern Indiana, Bethune-Cookman University, Jackson State University, Valparaiso University, Christian Brothers University, Bluefield State College, University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC), Eastern Illinois University (EIU), and Chicago State.

Fans can find more information about Leatherneck golf by visiting GoLeathernecks.com or following their social media accounts on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.