BECKER, Minn. — Crown College Men's and Women's Golf wrapped up their fall championship seasons with memorable performances at the 2026 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Championships, held October 8–10 at Pebble Creek Golf Club. The weekend belonged to junior Steven Dimmel, who turned in one of the finest individual performances in program history, finishing as the conference runner-up, while the women's squad claimed a fourth-place team finish behind a top-10 showing from Shelby Cash.
Dimmel entered the final round in second place and gave himself every opportunity to claim the individual title. His signature moment came in Round 2, when he fired a 1-under-par 71 — the only sub-par round posted by a Crown golfer — to surge up the leaderboard and put himself squarely in contention. He followed a solid opening-round 76 with that brilliant Friday performance before closing with an 80 on Saturday, finishing at +11 for the tournament and just four strokes behind the individual medalist. It was a championship-caliber performance from Dimmel, who proved he can compete with the best in the conference.
Grant Bestland provided steady and reliable scoring throughout the week, posting rounds of 79, 79, and 78 to finish tied for eighth individually at +20. His final-round 78 was his best of the tournament, demonstrating the kind of closing ability that bodes well for the program going forward. Carter Miller posted rounds of 80, 90, and 86, finishing 27th overall at +40. Dimitri Mesnickow posted rounds of 89, 82, and 92, finishing 30th at +47. Grant Oakland contributed team scores in Rounds 1 and 2 before suffering an injury that kept him out of the final round. His brother, Brayden Oakland, stepped in to complete the final round in his place.
On the women's side, Crown finished fourth out of six teams with a three-round total of 1218 (+354), besting Martin Luther College and Minnesota Morris. Cash was the standout performer, finishing eighth overall in the individual standings with rounds of 87, 81, and 89 for a 54-hole total of 257 (+41). Her second-round 81 was the highlight of her week and one of the stronger rounds posted by any Crown golfer across either program. Autumn Hill contributed consistent scoring throughout the championship, finishing 16th individually with a three-round total of 301 (+85). Cecilia Escalante showed significant improvement between rounds, posting a 102 in Round 2 after an opening 111, and finished 18th at +108. Nicole Reikofski-Baker rounded out the Crown women's lineup in 21st place at +120, finishing with a 336 total across three rounds.
With the conclusion of the 54-hole UMAC Championship, Crown College Men's and Women's Golf close out their fall 2026 season. The Polars will look to carry the momentum of Dimmel's runner-up finish and Cash's top-10 performance into their spring competition schedule.
