h2. Mike Small (12th season), No. 34 Illinois

Best finish at Big Ten Championships under Small — Big Ten Champions in 2009, 2010 and 2011

Last year’s Big Ten Championships — Big Ten Champions

Reasons for optimism — I saw a lot of positive signs at Purdue last weekend, which is always good leading up to an event. I’ve got two of the best players in the conference, which is always important to have. We are the three-time defending champions, so we know how to win.

Reasons for concern — I’m concerned about us getting ahead of ourselves, us getting there and not handling adversity very well, not staying in the moment and taking care of business at the time instead of thinking ahead.

X-Factor — The team that when they get out front and get in contention, they can rely on experience and rely on past positiveness to bring them through.

Team to beat — I think us. I mean, we’re the defending champions. I think there’s four teams that all have a chance. There’s four teams very closely ranked and played last week very tightly together. Iowa, Indiana, Northwestern, Purdue and us. I think anyone could win out of those five, but I’m pulling for us. I’m hedging our bets on us.

h2. Mike Mayer (14th season), No. 37 Indiana

Best finish at Big Ten Championships under Mayer — second in 2005

Last year’s Big Ten Championships — fifth

Reasons for optimism — We have played a national schedule … and beat some of the top teams in the country. We feel our team is solid from top to bottom.

Reasons for concern — I’m not really worried about anything. It’s a process, we need to stay focused and stay calm.

X-factor — X–factor will be Pete Dye Course at French Lick. We know it fairly well. Coach Small won a tournament on it, so he knows it. … Nobody has played a competitive round on the course, and that will be the x-factor.

Team to beat — Obviously, The Illini are the three-time defending Big Ten Champions. Even though Iowa is the top-ranked team and may be the best on paper, the Illini are the team who everyone is looking to beat.

h2. Mark Hankins (fifth season), No. 25 Iowa

Best finish at Big Ten Championships under Hankins — second in 2010

Last year’s Big Ten Championships — third

Reasons for optimism — The entire spring schedule we have played steady. We have had a lot of contributions and a lot of depth, not just one or two guys. The team depth is the main thing.

Reasons for concern — Never being to the course before. It is their first time hosting the Big Ten Championships, so there are a lot of unknowns. A lot of times going into tournaments you know what to expect and how to prepare, but this week we’re in the dark.

X-Factor — The weather is always an x-factor. In the Midwest, you never know what you’re gonna see. That’s why we tried to move it to a neutral site that is a little bit farther South. It looks like we will have a couple cool days and couple nice days. Weather is always a factor.

Team to beat — A lot of teams that have a shot since it’s one tournament. Purdue has been playing well and their home course is very similar. Illinois is the three-time defending champions and have been playing well. Indiana won (the Boilermaker Invitational) last week, and we’re highly ranked. Northwestern always plays well in big tournaments, and they won the Big Ten Match Plays earlier this year. A lot of teams have a chance. It bodes well for the entire conference. Last year the conference did very well at Nationals. We’re proud of the depth of the Big Ten, and it should make for an exciting tournament.

h2. Chris Whitten (first season), No. 118 Michigan

Best finish at Big Ten Championships under Whitten — First season as head coach

Last year’s Big Ten Championships — Tied for sixth

Reasons for optimism — I’m confident that our group of guys will understand our purpose in going to the Big Ten Championships. Our goal is very clear and preparation is key. Our goal every year is to win the Big Ten, but we can only control what we do.

Reasons for concern — Experience. This is the first Big Ten Tournament for several of our guys. It is at a new golf course, so their practice round will be key. We need good execution, especially for guys that this is their first time playing at the Big Ten Tournament.

X-factor — The course setup. It is a new course, and the first time the tournament has been played at a neutral site. The course is difficult. The weather and the course will be the x-factors.

Team to beat — Iowa is the top-ranked team and has been the most consistent this spring, but there are five or six teams that have had flashes of good play that could definitely compete for the title.

h2. Casey Lubahn (first season), No. 94 Michigan State

Best finish at Big Ten Championships under Lubahn — first season as head coach

Last year’s Big Ten Championships — 10th

Reasons for optimism — I am confident that my guys will pay attention to details. The course is similar to the course here in East Lansing, and last weekend we played Purdue, which had a similar type of course with similar conditions.

Reasons for concern — I don’t want the guys to try too hard. In golf, there is a fine line between trying too hard and getting too tense, so we need to make sure we play relaxed.

X-Factor — I think that the x-factor is how the course is setup. It can play long and be very, very demanding. If it is set up difficult, it could be a challenging day. But if they set it up easier, I expect a lot of teams to be in the mix.

Team to beat — Iowa has shown that it is close to taking over Illinois’ reign. This could be anyone’s game if the conditions are right, but I think Iowa is the front-runner right now.

h2. John Carlson (first season), No. 104 Minnesota

Best finish at Big Ten Championships under Carlson — first season as head coach

Last year’s Big Ten Championships — eighth

Reasons for optimism — We have an outstanding player and No. 1 golfer in Eric Van Rooyen. He has played extremely well in the last three events. I also think that the French Lick course is good for our team. It is a very long golf course, which puts meaning in teeing off, which I believe is one of our strengths as a team.

Reasons for concern — I am most concerned with inconsistency at the four and five spots. I would like for more consistency from the bottom of lineup

X-Factor — How well we drive it off of the tee is the x–factor. If we can eliminate lost golf balls and hitting it into the hazard zones, we are a tough team to compete with.

Team to beat — Iowa is the hottest team, coming off of two big victories at home and LSU. Northwestern and Indiana have been playing very well. I think it is up for grabs, as we saw at the Big Ten Match Play with a lot of close matches. We had tough matches against Illinois, Purdue and Northwestern. After Iowa, anyone can get second place.

h2. Bill Spangler (11th season), No. 177 Nebraska

Best finish at Big Ten Championships under Spangler — first season in Big Ten, sixth in Big 12 in 2006 and 2007

Last year’s Big Ten Championships — eighth in the Big 12

Reasons for optimism — My guys have been playing better lately. My No. 1 has played well all spring, most of the year. This is a new course, so that will be a lot of fun and exciting to play.

Reasons for concern — You hope that everyone plays their best and that the guys do well with course management and keep positive attitudes, but there are never any worries.

X-factor — Keeping patience. There are 72 holes, so it is a long tournament, the longest of the year. There are a lot of holes. It is a marathon and not a sprint. You need to keep composure and stay patient and take it one hole at a time for all 72 holes.

Team to beat — Iowa has been playing well, but also Illinois and Northwestern. There are an awful lot of good teams in the conference. Top to bottom, the Big Ten is stronger than the Big 12, where we came from. The key is throwing out a good score from your five-man. The better your five-man does, the better you do. I’m really excited. It should be a lot of fun.

h2. Pat Goss (15th season), No. 58 Northwestern

Best finish at Big Ten Championships under Goss — Big Ten Champions in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2006

Last year’s Big Ten Championships — second

Reasons for optimism — We have had a good spring. Nick Losole was hurt in the fall, but he came back and has played well all spring, which has really helped the team. Our No. 1 golfer, Eric Chun, is a great leader who has really helped the team this year. I would say that those are the main two reasons to be confident.

Reasons for concern — We have a few players who are swing players. Sam Chien and Jack Perry have been inconsistent. If they play well, we can create an opportunity to contend. But if not, it’ll be tough.

X-factor — We are playing a unique venue that should be good to Illinois because Coach Small won his PGA event there. The course is very unique. It will be a difficult and windy course, and the team that is able to grind it out will have the best chance to win.

Team to beat — Iowa has been the strongest team this spring, but Illinois has won three titles in a row and Coach Small won his PGA Championship there. There are four, five or six teams that are pretty much evenly matched that I think could win. This is the most evenly matched tournament since I’ve been in the Big Ten.

h2. Donnie Darr (third season), No. 67 Ohio State

Best finish at Big Ten Championships under Darr — fourth in 2011

Last year’s Big Ten Championships — fourth

Reasons for optimism — We have three freshmen and one thing that excites me is how hard these boys work, so it will be neat to see them compete at this level and whether they trust themselves on the big stage.

Reasons for concern — This year, when we’ve played well, we’ve been very good. But when we’ve been bad, we’ve played very poorly. We need to minimize the big mistakes.

X-factor — The x-factor is to manage around the greens and not make the big mistakes. Being able to get small numbers when you’re in trouble, and avoid the double- and triple-bogeys. The team that does that will have the best chance at winning.

Team to beat — This year I think it’s wide open. In the past, Illinois has been the dominant team, but this year Iowa is the highest ranked, but Illinois is the three-time defending champs, and, in my mind, you have to go through Illinois to win. Until someone takes them down, they are the team to beat.

h2. Michael Burcin (first season), No. 164 Wisconsin

Best finish at Big Ten Championships under Burcin — first season as head coach

Last year’s Big Ten Championships — 11th

Reasons for optimism — I’m confident that we’re going to be mentally prepared. Our guys will hang in there and be mentally strong and ready to play. Being new, and taking over for a program that has struggled for the last few years and not having a full group of our guys for a few years, we need to make sure everyone is prepared as they can be and be mentally tough. I am confident we will play well and be mentally strong.

Reasons for concern — I’m concerned our guys aren’t really mentally prepared to deal with adversity. They need to realize that when you’re competing at high levels, it’s not all roses all the time. This year we have been focusing on raising expectations and getting over hurdles.

X-Factor — This year more than ever it’s the golf course and how they have it set up. The weather may play a role, but the course setup and wind are important. It is definitely that 80-90 percent of the competitors are not familiar with the course.

Team to beat — Illinois or Iowa. We have faced both teams a couple times this year. Both are perennially strong programs. Iowa played well when we faced them at home. Illinois has played well the few times we’ve seen them. Mike lost some guys, but they haven’t skipped too many beats. Illinois is Illinois, and I would expect them to be there at the end. I wouldn’t expect anything less of them.

h2. Greg Nye (20th season), No. 141 Penn State

Best finish at Big Ten Championships under Nye — third in 2000

Last year’s Big Ten Championships — ninth

Unavailable for comment.

h2. Devon Brouse (14th season), No. 48 Purdue

Best finish at Big Ten Championships under Brouse — second in 2000 and 2001

Last year’s Big Ten Championships — tied for sixth

Unavailable for comment.

h2. Michael Burcin (first season), No. 164 Wisconsin

Best finish at Big Ten Championships under Burcin — first season as head coach

Last year’s Big Ten Championships — 11th

Reasons for optimism — I’m confident that we’re going to be mentally prepared. Our guys will hang in there and be mentally strong and ready to play. Being new, and taking over for a program that has struggled for the last few years and not having a full group of our guys for a few years, we need to make sure everyone is prepared as they can be and be mentally tough. I am confident we will play well and be mentally strong.

Reasons for concern — I’m concerned our guys aren’t really mentally prepared to deal with adversity. They need to realize that when you’re competing at high levels, it’s not all roses all the time. This year we have been focusing on raising expectations and getting over hurdles.

X-Factor — This year more than ever it’s the golf course and how they have it set up. The weather may play a role, but the course setup and wind are important. It is definitely that 80-90 percent of the competitors are not familiar with the course.

Team to beat — Illinois or Iowa. We have faced both teams a couple times this year. Both are perennially strong programs. Iowa played well when we faced them at home. Illinois has played well the few times we’ve seen them. Mike lost some guys, but they haven’t skipped too many beats. Illinois is Illinois, and I would expect them to be there at the end. I wouldn’t expect anything less of them.