The Prairie Fire men’s golf team is vying for another successful season in 2013 after finishing fourth at last year’s Midwest Conference Championships and third in 2011.

Knox has won 29 MWC team titles. No other former or current school in the league has won more than 12.

The Prairie Fire return junior James Fenner (East Peoria, IL, Metamora), an all-conference performer who is capable of winning the league’s individual championship.  Knox goes into this season without 2012 Midwest Conference individual champion Bobby Stuebi, who the team lost to graduation.

Coach A.J. Shule will rely heavily on Fenner, who earned a medal at the men’s golf championships last spring. He carded a 235 to finish in a tie for sixth place. 

Fenner’s 78.3 average round ranked ninth in the Midwest Conference in 2012. He shot a career-best 70 -- which tied for the second-lowest scoring round in the conference -- at the Tucson Invitational, the first spring meet of the season.

Fenner finished last season with two top five and three top 10 finishes.

Knox is also counting on contributions from sophomores Ben Schlotter (Chambersburg, PA, Cumberland Valley Christian) and Mackinzie Champman (Sheffield, IL, Annawan).

Schlotter and Chapman both gained experience last year as first-year golfers. Schlotter had an average round of 97.8 in eight events, and his low round was 90.  Chapman was in four events, averaged 99.6 per round, and had a low round of 94.

Schlotter and Chapman showed improvement for the Prairie Fire during the fall season when the team played in three tournaments. 

Chapman’s average round was 91.3 with a low round of 86 and Schlotter averaged 90.7 with a low of 85.

Knox begins the spring 2013 season by hosting the Prairie Fire Classic on March 29 and 30 at Soangetaha Country Club in Galesburg.