MIDWAY, Ky. - Despite having 10 conference championships under his belt as Midway's golf coach, Otis Smith is entering the spring of 2026 in somewhat unfamiliar territory.

In 2025, Smith's Eagles had another great postseason. He led the women's program to its sixth River States Conference championship last April, then one week later, won a fourth conference title with the men's team.

But, for just the second time in his Midway tenure, Smith is entering a new season with both teams looking to defend RSC championships, which he says has to increase his golfer's level of focus.

"Now we have the target on our back," Smith said. "I think we have to look at that like we're the team to beat. But...we haven't won anything this year. It's a new day and we've got to go out and win it.

The title defenses begin at the Lawrence Tech Spring Break Invitational, a three-day event that starts on Tuesday. Here is a preview of the season ahead for each team.

WOMEN

The Eagles, fresh off their first RSC title in four years, return a strong core from a season ago, led by sophomore Kasey Cameron.

In her first college season, Cameron was named River States Golfer of the Year before becoming just the second Eagle to make the individual cut at the NAIA National Championships.

She is one of four returners that saw action in the 2025 National Championships, the others being juniors Savannah Salchli and Anna New and sophomore Kelsay Collins.

First-year players are expected to play key roles again this season, with freshmen Kyrie Dickenson and Anna Simpson both seeing significant action in the fall.

That group is hoping to hit its stride early in the spring and improve upon their third-place finish at the RSC Fall Preview in October, a tournament Midway had won each of the previous five seasons. 

"After having won (conference) and seeing the process and how we got to go to nationals…it's a very different atmosphere going into this new season because we did win and we all want to go back" Salchli said.

MEN

After their fourth conference championship in five years, the Eagle men, who overcame a seven-stroke deficit to win the 2025 crown, were tasked with replacing program stalwarts Hayes Mason and Jack Bedell, who made a combined five all-conference teams.

There is a strong nucleus of returners, however, led by seniors Gage Gregory and Benjamin Spencer and junior Tristan Mitchell, who all took part in nationals last spring.

They'll be supplemented by a strong group of newcomers as well. Junior transfer Kobe Ingram has seen significant playing time, as have freshmen Eli Stamper, Gabe Cole and Kobe Colvin, and the team's overall performance eventually peaked by the end of the fall season.

After a second-place finish at the RSC Fall Preview, the Eagles placed fourth at a loaded Bojangles Invitational, finishing ahead of three ranked teams and three others receiving notes in the national polls.

"(We were) up there competing with some of the best teams in the country and that's always a really, really good feeling going into trying to repeat and defend a conference championship, said senior Hunter Graham. "I believe in all the guys. I think we're going to end up pulling through this season."

On both the men's and women's side, Smith's expectations are not unexpected.

"The standard is to always win the conference championship," he said. "I want us to be there in the end."

The LTU Spring Break Invitational will be held at the Grand National Golf Course in Opelika, Ala. Tuesday to Thursday.