MINOT, N.D. – Returning to his home state,
Max Palmer was named Minot State's Player to Watch on the golf course this season while the Beaver men's golf team was picked 9
th in the 2026-27 NSIC Preseason Men's Golf Coaches' Poll released on Tuesday.
Palmer, a junior from Bottineau who transfers home after two seasons at Chandler-Gilbert Community College in Arizona, leads a Minot State team that earned 27 points in the preseason poll to land at the No. 9 spot.
"We had a great recruiting season this year with a couple North Dakota natives who are transferring back home with some experience," Minot State coach Gary "Dakota" Brekhus said, as he begins his second season leading the Beaver program. "That, coupled with our returners like Kasen (Rostad) and Gunther (Soltvedt), and I think Minot State is going to surprise some people this year!
"Max is looking forward to coming back home, which is one reason he's my player to watch," Brekhus added of Palmer, the 2024 North Dakota Class B state champion who also earned NJCAA All-American honors at Chandler-Gilbert. "He is transferring from Chandler-Gilbert Community College and is originally from Bottineau, North Dakota, so he's looking forward to competing on home turf again. He's been out working on his game and mental fortitude all summer long with some great results. He's going to be a force on the course, and myself and the team are really looking forward to watching him this season!"
While Palmer was named Minot State's Player to Watch this season, Winona State junior Javier Ramos Casariego, who tied for 8th at last season's NSIC Championship and earned 1st Team All-NSIC honors, was named the 2026-27 Preseason Player of the Year.
He leads a Warrior team picked to repeat as NSIC Champions as Winona State picked up 8 first-place votes and 97 points. Concordia-St. Paul earned the other 3 first-place votes and was the coaches' 2
nd-place team in the poll with 91 points.
Sioux Falls was picked 3
rd with 80 points, Bemidji State was picked 4
th with 69 points, Augustana was picked 5
th with 61 points, Minnesota Crookston was picked 6
th with 60 points, Minnesota State was picked 7
th with 51 points, Mary was picked 8
th with 34 points, Minot State was picked 9
th with 27 points, St. Cloud State was picked 10
th with 23 points, and Jamestown was picked 11
th with 12 points.
The Minot State men's golf team opens the 2026-27 season at the MSU/CSP Fall Brawl at the Troy Burne Golf Club in Hudson, Wis., on September 14 and 15.
2026-27 NSIC Preseason Men's Golf Coaches' Poll
| Rank |
Team (1st-place votes) |
Points |
| 1 |
Winona State (8) |
97 |
| 2 |
Concordia-St. Paul (3) |
91 |
| 3 |
Sioux Falls |
80 |
| 4 |
Bemidji State |
69 |
| 5 |
Augustana |
61 |
| 6 |
Minnesota Crookston |
60 |
| 7 |
Minnesota State |
51 |
| 8 |
Mary |
34 |
| 9 |
Minot State |
27 |
| 10 |
St. Cloud State |
23 |
| 11 |
Jamestown |
12 |
