Will Kates is in his first season as a graduate assistant with the Illinois State men’s golf team.

Kates had spent the previous four seasons as a member of the Ohio University golf team, and earned GCAA/Cobalt All-American Scholar honors as a sophomore, junior, and senior, and had a top finish of 14th at the Golden Grizzlies Intercollegiate. As a sophomore he earned his first collegiate victory at the Virtues Intercollegiate, where he shot a 207 (-9), and his career-low round came as a sophomore with a 65.

A native of Centennial, Colorado, Kates won the Colorado State Championship by six strokes during his sophomore season and was named the CHSAA 5A Player of the Year that season, while repeating as Champion during his senior season, winning in a playoff. He is pursuing his MBA at Illinois State.