SILVIS, Ill. -- Bradley had a pair of individuals finish in the top 10 at the Missouri Valley Conference Men's Championship for the first time since 1995 and the Braves went on to finish third for the squad's best showing since the 1986 MVC Championship Tuesday afternoon.
Junior Danny Masrin (Palatine, Ill./Jakarta International School) tied for fifth to post the best individual finish for a Bradley men's golfer at the conference championship since 2005 and senior Kyle Gunther (Dunlap, Ill./Peoria Christian) joined him in the top 10 in a tie for eighth overall.
Bradley finished in the top three of the Valley Championship for the first time since 1986, when the Braves captured second, and recorded the lowest 54-hole total at the MVC Championship in school history at 897 (305-291-301). Wichita State won the team title with a 22-over par 874 at the par-71 TPC Deere Run, while Illinois State was second in the team standings at 877.
The Braves, who were picked fifth in the pre-championship poll, finished three shots ahead of fourth-place Northern Iowa (900) and eight shots better than fifth-place finisher Missouri State (905). Evansville was sixth (912) overall, with Drake and Southern Illinois tying for seventh at 919. Valley newcomer Loyola was ninth at 920 to complete the field.
The day began at 8 a.m. with the resumption of Monday's second round, which had been suspended a little over midway through due to lightning. The delay apparently didn't hurt the Braves, who finished off a seven-over par 291 to jump into third in the team standings. The second-round 291 is the lowest round for Bradley at the MVC Championship in school history and tied for the 11th lowest round in program history overall.
Masrin tied for fifth at 221 to pace the Braves and earn All-Missouri Valley Conference honors for the first time in his career. He finished off a one-over par 72 in the morning, before shooting the lowest third round score on the squad with a three-over 74 in the final round. Masrin closed the year with a 74.93 stroke average for the eighth lowest season stroke average in school history.
Gunther carded a one-under 70 in the second round for the lowest round of the tournament by the Braves and matched the lowest second-round score in the field. He shot 76 in the third round and finished one shot back of Masrin in a tie for eighth at 222. Gunther's 75.82 season average tied for 11th best in Bradley history.
Junior Seth Trolia (Mahomet, Ill./Seymour) managed to climb into the top 20 in the final standings with final rounds of 74 and 75. Trolia, who became just the third individual in program history to have two seasons with 25 or more rounds in the 70's or better, tied for 20th overall at 228. His team-best 74.79 season stroke average is fifth among school season marks and best at Bradley since Andy Mickelson's school-record stroke average of 73.28 set in 2002-03. Trolia finished in the top 20 in seven of 10 tournaments in 2013-14.
Sophomore Alex Shane (Morton, Ill./Morton/Illinois Central) matched his first round 77 and closed out play with a 76 to tie for 26th at 230. Senior Daniel Young (Metamora, Ill./Metamora) tied for 38th (234), carding round of 75 and 82. Young joined Trolia as the sixth and seventh players in school history to have 20 or more sub-80 rounds in three different seasons. He finished out his career tied for ninth in program history with 74 career rounds in the 70's or better.
Wichita State's Chandler Rusk won a playoff with Illinois State's Tyler Gentilella for individual medalist honors.
