By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University Bearcats will be hosting and competing at the Willamette Valley Cup in men's golf on Saturday, March 16 and Sunday, March 17 at Creekside Golf Club. The Bearcats have entered two teams in the tournament, while the overall men's field will feature 12 team entries.

In addition to Willamette's two teams, other full entries will be representing Corban University, George Fox University, Lewis-Clark State College (Idaho), Linfield University, North Idaho College, Pacific University, Pacific Lutheran University, Southern Oregon University, Whitman College, and Whitworth University. Bushnell University and Lewis & Clark College are not entering full teams.

Willamette's "A" team will include Alexander Papajohn (Fy., Parker, CO/Lutheran HS), Brock Olson (So., Kirkland, WA/Lake Washington HS), Preston Lightle (Fy., Victoria, BC, Canada/Belmont Senior Secondary School), Jack McMullin (Sr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS), and Kyler Phillips (Fy., Carlsbad, CA/Carlsbad HS). Competing on the Willamette "B" team will be Lucas Paul (So., Salem, OR/South Salem HS), Connor Murphy (So., Palm Desert, CA/Xavier College Prep), Jack Carr (Fy., Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage HS), Paxton Jones (Jr., Wellington, NZ/Scots College), and Oliver Smith (So., San Jose, CA/Pioneer HS).

During the shotgun start on Saturday, Papajohn will begin playing on Hole 1A, with Olson on Hole 1B. Lightle will open play at Hole 17A, McMullin will start at Hole 18A, and Phillips will begin at Hole 18B. For the Willamette "B" team, Paul will get underway at Hole 15A, with Murphy at Hole 15B, Carr at Hole 16A, Jones at Hole 16B, and Smith at Hole 17B

The Bearcats won the Willamette Valley Cup six times from 2013 through 2019. The tournament was not held in 2017. Corban took first place in 2012. The Willamette Valley Cup was not held in 2020, 2021, and 2022. It returns in 2023, with Whitworth winning last year's title by three strokes over Willamette.