The Valparaiso University men’s golf program and head coach Dave Gring have announced the addition of Charlie Davenport (Clarendon Hills, Ill. / Benet Academy), who will join the program as a freshman for the 2025-2026 season.
 
A four-year varsity letter winner, Davenport was a two-time East Suburban Catholic Conference Player of the Year, four-time all-conference selection and earned all-state honors as a senior. He set the nine-hole school record by carding a 30 during his senior campaign, twice won the Batavia Invite, twice won the Stonebridge Invite and won the Bob Sterr Invite as a junior. The two-year team captain helped his squad to a third-place finish in the IHSA 2A state championship as a sophomore, three IHSA Regional victories and three ESCC conference victories.
 
“Our team is thrilled to add Charlie to our lineup for next year,” Gring said. “Charlie comes to us from a talented high school golf program, where he received tremendous coaching and numerous accolades from Player of the Year to all-conference to all-state. I love Charlie’s work ethic and he puts in quality practice time every day, working with his high school coach in-season and his swing coach during the rest of the year. He has an awesome support system around him, when you consider his family, coaches, players, tournament schedule and more.”
 
Davenport owns three top-20 finishes in 2024 AJGA Opens, a top-10 finish at the 2024 Illinois State Junior Amateur, a second-place finish at the 2024 MAJGT at Thunderhawk, a top-10 finish at the 2023 AJGA UHY St. Louis Open, a top-15 finish at the 2023 Illinois State Junior Amateur top-5 finish at the 2023 IJGA Medinah Shriners Junior Invitational, a top-5 finish at the 2023 CDGA Junior Amateur and a top-10 stroke play finish and multiple match winner of the 2023 Chick Evans Junior Amateur match play.
 
Away from the course, Davenport is an honor roll student and has earned the American Legion Award.
 
“Charlie is a talented player with a tremendous short game and excellent proximity with his wedges,” Gring said. “He shows solid accuracy off the tee and he hits a lot of greens in regulation with a sharp iron game. Charlie will bring a really competitive spirit to our team and that has been demonstrated over the years through his solid summer tournament schedule and the results on his high school team. I really like the confidence that Charlie shows, whether that’s on the golf course or even in a friendly conversation. We are blessed to have him as part of our team and we welcome Charlie to the Valpo Men’s Golf Family!”