University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Monday, February 16
Laredo, Texas
All Day
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
at
Border Olympics
Louisiana Golf Preview: Border Olympics
2/15/2026 7:09:00 PM | Golf
Defending champ Ragin' Cajuns set to open spring schedule in Laredo
LAREDO, Texas – UL's golf team opens the spring segment of its schedule at the place where it had its greatest success last season, opening defense of its title at the prestigious 75th annual Border Olympics.
Play begins Monday with 36 holes over the 7,257-yard par-71 Laredo County Club layout, following a college-am event and a junior clinic Sunday afternoon. A 13-team field will chase the title in Tuesday's final 18-hole round.
The Ragin' Cajuns won last year's Border Olympics title to open their spring season, finishing six shots ahead of Houston and New Mexico State and putting three players among the top 11 individual finishers.
"That was a very special moment for our team," said Cajun coach Theo Sliman. "Going to the Border Olympics has always been a highlight of our season. I have vivid memories of playing in it as a player, and we're honored to be here as defending champions."
The Cajuns are coming off a solid fall season in which they had three top-six finishes out of five events, with much of that success made possible by the strong play of senior Malan Potgieter. The Kirkwood, South Africa product just returned to Acadiana this week after finishing tied for sixth in the Africa Amateur Championships, one of the world's most prestigious amateur events, with a 71-67-66-74—278 (-10) performance.
Potgieter posted a stellar 68.87 stroke average in UL's five fall tournaments, tying for first in the season-opening Argent Financial Classic at Squire Creek in Choudrant, La., and following with a tie for third at the Highlands Invitational in Westchester, Ill., a tie for fourth at the Bayou City Collegiate in Houston and a tie for third at the Trinity Forest Invitational in Dallas.
Potgieter is in position to set UL's record for career stroke average with a solid spring season.
"There's no substitute for competition at any level," Sliman said of his outing at the Africa Amateur, "and for him to finish top six and be in contention at that type of prestigious event, I know he'll be able to draw on that going into the final spring of his college career.
The field at Laredo includes last year's runners-up in Houston and New Mexico State along with Troy, Wichita State, Houston Christian, Texas-Rio Grande Valley, Tarleton State, Sam Houston, Lamar, North Texas, Wright State and Illinois State.
Potgieter will lead a lineup that includes fellow senior Jean Louis du Plessis, who had the team's second-best fall average at 72.67), junior Carter Schmitt (73.08 in the fall) and a pair of freshmen in James Holtsclaw and Nathan Schuldt. Sophomore Jay Brooks will compete as an individual.
"Laredo is a very similar style course to Oakbourne," Sliman said, comparing the layout to UL's home course, "but instead of the big oak trees you have mesquite trees. It's a very similar layout in the fairways and some of the best greens we putt on all year. Having those similarities, and them having a college-am event like we do, I think our guys will be very comfortable this week."
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Play begins Monday with 36 holes over the 7,257-yard par-71 Laredo County Club layout, following a college-am event and a junior clinic Sunday afternoon. A 13-team field will chase the title in Tuesday's final 18-hole round.
The Ragin' Cajuns won last year's Border Olympics title to open their spring season, finishing six shots ahead of Houston and New Mexico State and putting three players among the top 11 individual finishers.
"That was a very special moment for our team," said Cajun coach Theo Sliman. "Going to the Border Olympics has always been a highlight of our season. I have vivid memories of playing in it as a player, and we're honored to be here as defending champions."
The Cajuns are coming off a solid fall season in which they had three top-six finishes out of five events, with much of that success made possible by the strong play of senior Malan Potgieter. The Kirkwood, South Africa product just returned to Acadiana this week after finishing tied for sixth in the Africa Amateur Championships, one of the world's most prestigious amateur events, with a 71-67-66-74—278 (-10) performance.
Potgieter posted a stellar 68.87 stroke average in UL's five fall tournaments, tying for first in the season-opening Argent Financial Classic at Squire Creek in Choudrant, La., and following with a tie for third at the Highlands Invitational in Westchester, Ill., a tie for fourth at the Bayou City Collegiate in Houston and a tie for third at the Trinity Forest Invitational in Dallas.
Potgieter is in position to set UL's record for career stroke average with a solid spring season.
"There's no substitute for competition at any level," Sliman said of his outing at the Africa Amateur, "and for him to finish top six and be in contention at that type of prestigious event, I know he'll be able to draw on that going into the final spring of his college career.
The field at Laredo includes last year's runners-up in Houston and New Mexico State along with Troy, Wichita State, Houston Christian, Texas-Rio Grande Valley, Tarleton State, Sam Houston, Lamar, North Texas, Wright State and Illinois State.
Potgieter will lead a lineup that includes fellow senior Jean Louis du Plessis, who had the team's second-best fall average at 72.67), junior Carter Schmitt (73.08 in the fall) and a pair of freshmen in James Holtsclaw and Nathan Schuldt. Sophomore Jay Brooks will compete as an individual.
"Laredo is a very similar style course to Oakbourne," Sliman said, comparing the layout to UL's home course, "but instead of the big oak trees you have mesquite trees. It's a very similar layout in the fairways and some of the best greens we putt on all year. Having those similarities, and them having a college-am event like we do, I think our guys will be very comfortable this week."
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Players Mentioned
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