#8 USAO is Headed to the NAIA Men’s Golf National Championship for the First Time in Program History

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has identified the field for the 74th-Annual NAIA Men's Golf National Championship, set for May 12-15, 2026 at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill, and No. 8 ranked USAO was selected for the first time in program history. The event will be held at TPC Deere Run for the 10th time, dating back to 2009.

2025-26 has by far been the best season in program history, with the Drovers finishing second at the SAC Championship and rose all the way to No. 8 in the NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Rating.

The 29-team field includes 18 teams that qualified by winning their conference championships, another - Grand View (Iowa) - that earned a second automatic bid from the Heart of America Athletic Conference, and 10 teams selected through the final Netting Professionals NAIA Men's Golf Coaches' Top 25.

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Defending national champion Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) is in the field, along with four teams will make their first appearances at the championship - Blue Mountain Christian (Miss.), Hastings (Neb.), IU East (Ind.), and USAO (Okla.) - and Lewis-Clark State (Idaho), qualifying for the championship for the first time in 15 years.

Texas Wesleyan will make a record 57th appearance and enters with an NAIA-record 12 individual national champions in its program history, while Sooner Athletic Conference foe Oklahoma City is making its 32nd appearance, bringing 11 national championship Red Banners into the field, the most in NAIA history.

Wayland Baptist (Texas) and British Columbia will each make their 20th appearances, while St. Ambrose will compete in the championship for the 19th time.

May 12-13 tee times, as well as first- and second-round pairings will be announced Monday, May 4, at www.naia.org.

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