University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Tuesday, February 24
Henderson, Nevada
10 a.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
vs
Lake Las Vegas Intercollegiate
Louisiana Makes Move at Lake Las Vegas; One Stroke Off Lead
2/24/2026 10:02:00 PM | Golf
Ragin' Cajuns shoot 11-under-277 on the day to move behind Boise State for lead
HENDERSON, Nev. – Four UL golfers posted sub-par scores and the Ragin' Cajuns posted the low team round of the day, to move into second place going into Wednesday's final round of the Lake Las Vegas Intercollegiate Tournament.
Paced by a six-under 66 from senior Malan Potgieter – including a six-under 30 on the back side – the Cajuns trail first-day leader Boise State by only one shot after two rounds over the 7,261-yard par-72 Reflection Bay Golf Club layout. UL improved its first-day 289 score by 12 shots with its lowest round of the year by three shots.
Potgieter, who stands tied for third place individually, followed an opening even-par 72 with his 14th sub-par round of the season. Fellow senior Jean Louis du Plessis and junior Carter Schmitt posted two-under 70 scores and freshman Drew Sliman added a one-under 71, with all three jumping up at least seven places in the individual standings.
"It was nice to see a collective group come together," said Cajun coach Theo Sliman, whose team will be in the final pairing with Boise State and Northern Illinois at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. "This is the first time we've been in double digits under par this season (-11). They came out and played with some focus, and that's going to give these guys some confidence going into the final round."
Boise State held a six-stroke lead over the Cajuns entering the second round and carded a five-under 283 on Tuesday, good enough for a one-stroke lead over the tournament-host Cajuns. Northern Illinois stands third at six-under 570, one stroke ahead of UC San Diego, while UL Sun Belt Conference rival Coastal Carolina and Austin Peay are one more stroke back at 571 in the 11-team field – all of which shot par or better in Tuesday's second round.
Freshman James Holtsclaw, who led the Cajuns and was tied for second individually after a career-low three-under 69 in Monday's first round, added a 74 Tuesday. He still stands in the top 20, in 20th place at one-under 143, with du Plessis in 12th at 72-70—142.
"The 69 James shot yesterday put a shot in the arm with the rest of the guys," Sliman said. "Him doing that let them know they can do it too. The rest of them had a spark today, they played like they had confidence in each other and confidence can be contagious."
Freshman Nathan Schuldt and sophomore Jay Brooks, competing as individuals, posted 75 and 77 scores respectively and stand in 55th (77-75—152) and 66th (80-77—157) entering the final round.
Cole Rueck of Boise State, who was tied with Holtsclaw for second after the first round, and Patton Samuels of Austin Peay posted sterling eight-under 64 scores for Tuesday's low round. Rueck leads the individual chase at 11-under 133, with Samuels two strokes back at 135 and Potgieter tied with Mason Haley of Kansas City and individual player Ryan Shepherd of Boise State at six-under 138.
First-day leader Ben Loveard of Texas State shot even-par 72 on Tuesday and is tied for seventh at four-under 140.
Lake Las Vegas Intercollegiate Tournament
Feb. 23-25, 2026
Reflection Bay Golf Club (7,261 yards, par 72), Henderson, Nev.
Team Standings: 1. Boise State 283-282—565 (-11); 2. Louisiana 289-277—566 (-10); 3. Northern Illinois 284-286—570 (-6); 4. UC San Diego 293-278—571 (-5); T5. Coastal Carolina 292-280—572 (-4); T5. Austin Peay 294-278—572 (-4); 7. Jacksonville State 291-283—574 (-2); 8. Texas State 287-288—575 (-1); T9. Wichita State 303-281—584 (+8); T9. Kansas City 296-288—584 (+8); 11. Long Island 299-288—587 (+11).
Individual Leaders: 1. Cole Rueck, Boise State, 69-64—133 (-11); 2, Patton Samuels, Austin Peay, 71-64—135 (-9); T3. Malan Potgieter, UL, 72-66—138 (-6); T3. Mason Haley, Kansas City, 69-69—138 (-6); T3. Ryan Shepherd, Boise State (IND) 70-68—138 (-6).
UL Scores: T3. Malan Potgieter 72-66—138 (-6); 12. Jean Louis du Plessis 72-70—142 (-2); 20. James Holtsclaw 69-74—143 (-1); 36. Carter Schmitt 76-70—146 (+2); 51. Drew Sliman 79-71—150 (+6); 55. Nathan Schuldt (IND) 77-75—152 (+8); 66. Jay Brooks 80-77—157 (+13).
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Paced by a six-under 66 from senior Malan Potgieter – including a six-under 30 on the back side – the Cajuns trail first-day leader Boise State by only one shot after two rounds over the 7,261-yard par-72 Reflection Bay Golf Club layout. UL improved its first-day 289 score by 12 shots with its lowest round of the year by three shots.
Potgieter, who stands tied for third place individually, followed an opening even-par 72 with his 14th sub-par round of the season. Fellow senior Jean Louis du Plessis and junior Carter Schmitt posted two-under 70 scores and freshman Drew Sliman added a one-under 71, with all three jumping up at least seven places in the individual standings.
"It was nice to see a collective group come together," said Cajun coach Theo Sliman, whose team will be in the final pairing with Boise State and Northern Illinois at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. "This is the first time we've been in double digits under par this season (-11). They came out and played with some focus, and that's going to give these guys some confidence going into the final round."
Boise State held a six-stroke lead over the Cajuns entering the second round and carded a five-under 283 on Tuesday, good enough for a one-stroke lead over the tournament-host Cajuns. Northern Illinois stands third at six-under 570, one stroke ahead of UC San Diego, while UL Sun Belt Conference rival Coastal Carolina and Austin Peay are one more stroke back at 571 in the 11-team field – all of which shot par or better in Tuesday's second round.
Freshman James Holtsclaw, who led the Cajuns and was tied for second individually after a career-low three-under 69 in Monday's first round, added a 74 Tuesday. He still stands in the top 20, in 20th place at one-under 143, with du Plessis in 12th at 72-70—142.
"The 69 James shot yesterday put a shot in the arm with the rest of the guys," Sliman said. "Him doing that let them know they can do it too. The rest of them had a spark today, they played like they had confidence in each other and confidence can be contagious."
Freshman Nathan Schuldt and sophomore Jay Brooks, competing as individuals, posted 75 and 77 scores respectively and stand in 55th (77-75—152) and 66th (80-77—157) entering the final round.
Cole Rueck of Boise State, who was tied with Holtsclaw for second after the first round, and Patton Samuels of Austin Peay posted sterling eight-under 64 scores for Tuesday's low round. Rueck leads the individual chase at 11-under 133, with Samuels two strokes back at 135 and Potgieter tied with Mason Haley of Kansas City and individual player Ryan Shepherd of Boise State at six-under 138.
First-day leader Ben Loveard of Texas State shot even-par 72 on Tuesday and is tied for seventh at four-under 140.
Lake Las Vegas Intercollegiate Tournament
Feb. 23-25, 2026
Reflection Bay Golf Club (7,261 yards, par 72), Henderson, Nev.
Team Standings: 1. Boise State 283-282—565 (-11); 2. Louisiana 289-277—566 (-10); 3. Northern Illinois 284-286—570 (-6); 4. UC San Diego 293-278—571 (-5); T5. Coastal Carolina 292-280—572 (-4); T5. Austin Peay 294-278—572 (-4); 7. Jacksonville State 291-283—574 (-2); 8. Texas State 287-288—575 (-1); T9. Wichita State 303-281—584 (+8); T9. Kansas City 296-288—584 (+8); 11. Long Island 299-288—587 (+11).
Individual Leaders: 1. Cole Rueck, Boise State, 69-64—133 (-11); 2, Patton Samuels, Austin Peay, 71-64—135 (-9); T3. Malan Potgieter, UL, 72-66—138 (-6); T3. Mason Haley, Kansas City, 69-69—138 (-6); T3. Ryan Shepherd, Boise State (IND) 70-68—138 (-6).
UL Scores: T3. Malan Potgieter 72-66—138 (-6); 12. Jean Louis du Plessis 72-70—142 (-2); 20. James Holtsclaw 69-74—143 (-1); 36. Carter Schmitt 76-70—146 (+2); 51. Drew Sliman 79-71—150 (+6); 55. Nathan Schuldt (IND) 77-75—152 (+8); 66. Jay Brooks 80-77—157 (+13).
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