COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - There are a lot of new faces around the Saint John's golf program this season.

Casey Vangsness '14, a former Johnnie All-American, has returned to take over as head coach of a team with a roster that includes eight freshmen.

But amidst that sea of change, Nate Appelhof remains a constant.

The lone senior on this year's squad, the Totino-Grace High School graduate has been a key contributor for four seasons now. 

That experience makes him a leader others look to for guidance – a role he readily embraces.

"I do see being a mentor to the younger guys as one of my big roles," Appelhof said. "The life they're living now, I've lived myself. I know what it's like to walk in their shoes. So if I can help them out and add value that way, I'm excited to do it."
But it's not just the younger players who have sought his counsel. Vangsness too said he has been an excellent resource to draw on while adjusting to his new job.

"I know this program pretty well, but there have been changes since I was here as a player," said Vangsness, whose team plays host to the SJU Fall Invitational this Saturday (Sept. 26) and Sunday (Sept. 27) at the St. Cloud Country Club and Blackberry Ridge in Sartell, respectively.

"That's where a guy like Nate is so valuable. He can give me insight into what guys enjoy, what they look forward to and what the relationships on the team are like.

"I've really enjoyed getting to know him and it's meant a lot to the team to have him take on the leadership role the way he has."

Appelhof comes from a golfing family. His younger brother Ben is a freshman golfer at Division I Nebraska-Omaha this season.

"Golfing has always been a big family event, especially on my dad's side of the family," Nate said. "From a young age, we'd all go out and play together.

"Ben and I have been playing with one another since we were each old enough to pick up a club. We were on the same high school team my senior year when we won a (Class 2A) state title. We play the same tournaments together in the summer. We can get pretty competitive."

Indeed, that sibling rivalry can sometimes get intense.

"It's probably about 50-50 when it comes to when a round will end in an argument," Appelhof said with a laugh.

"But we support each other too. We watch each other's scores and text each other after meets. He'll send me a video of his swing and I'll tell him what I think and vice-versa. We push each other, but we also try to help one another get better."

Appelhof finished tied for 25th at the MIAC meet last season – a performance he wants to improve on this fall. But more importantly, he wants to do all he can to help SJU win a conference title and earn the MIAC's automatic bid to next May's NCAA Division III national meet.

The Johnnies have qualified for nationals 21 times as a team since 2000, but not since Appelhof's freshman year in 2023-24. This season's MIAC meet is scheduled for Oct. 10-12 at Edinburgh USA in Brooklyn Park.

"I've had a great time over my four years here and I'm grateful for every moment," he said. "But there'd be no better way to end it than to play for a national championship. There's such a long tradition of success here and our goal as a team is to get the program back to that level."