UNCW, Charleston Set to Open 2026 NCAA Men’s Golf Regional on Monday

UNCW, Charleston Set to Open 2026 NCAA Men’s Golf Regional on Monday

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Dylan Smith

BRYAN REGIONAL – LIVE STATS | BRYAN REGIONAL – WATCH ($$)
ATHENS REGIONAL – LIVE STATS | ATHENS REGIONAL – WATCH ($$)
 
RICHMOND, Va. – CAA Champion UNCW and Charleston will open the 2026 NCAA Men’s Golf Regionals on Monday, May 18.
 
The Seahawks enter the three-day competition, which runs through May 20, as the league’s automatic qualifier, earning the No. 7 seed in the Bryan Regional. The Cougars received an at-large bid to the Athens Regional as the No. 9 seed.
 
UNCW will make its 12th NCAA appearance and first since 2023 after securing automatic entry into the 81-team field by winning the 2026 CAA Men’s Golf Championship last month. The Seahawks enter the field ranked No. 40, according to the Clipp’d rankings on Selection Tuesday.
 
CAA Player of the Year James Rico will look to pick up where he left off when play opens at the Texas Traditions Club. The Cary, N.C., product secured medalist honors after unloading par or better on 52 of his 54 holes en route to an impressive conference-record 14-under 202 at Dataw Island Club. CAA Coach of the Year Blake Taylor will also rely heavily on his fellow All-CAA Team selections, John Logan (First Team), Gray Mitchum (First Team) and Preston Worch (Second Team). Taylor saw his Seahawks lift their ninth CAA Championship after breaking the tournament record by three strokes, finishing at 38-under 826.
 
No. 9 seed Charleston received a berth in the NCAA Regionals for the third straight season, marking its fifth appearance in the past six years and 11th overall. The Cougars, who are ranked No. 51 nationally, will compete at the University of Georgia Golf Club, looking to build off a third-place finish at the CAA Championship. As a team, Charleston won three tournaments this season, setting a school record for regular season victories.
 
Head Coach Mitch Krywulycz will look to his veteran group of Loran Appel, Miles Eubanks and Nevill Ruiter to lead the charge. Appel and Eubanks garnered All-CAA First Team selections following standout seasons for the Cougars, while Ruiter landed on the league’s Second Team.
 
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