Illinois Men's Golf Lands Top-10 Transfers Dane Huddleston and Freddie Turnell

After a mildly disappointing No. 18 finish at the NCAA Men's National Championship, and following the graduation of Byron Nelson award recipient Jackson Buchanan, a skeptic might have wondered whether the Illini were due for a step back. But Huddleston and Turnell – considered two of the nation's top 10 transfers – will fortify a group that will already bring back All-American honorable mention Max Herendeen and allow Illinois to take aim at yet another Big Ten championship (of which the Illini have won 13 of the past 16).

What's more, the transfer moves are likely to pay dividends both right away and beyond next season. Huddleston, the 2025 WAC Golfer of the Year and the only All-American in Utah Valley history, is ready to deliver immediately. But so should Turnell – the only freshman to be named to the All-Ohio Valley Conference first team – has three years of eligibility remaining. And with two years left for Huddleston, coach Mike Small and the Illini have the mix in place to keep competing at the highest levels for the foreseeable future.

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