University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Thursday, April 30
Madison, Miss.
7 a.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
at
SBC Championships
Cajuns Finish 10th At Sun Belt Conference Championships
4/30/2026 5:17:00 PM | Golf
MADISON, Miss. – UL's golf team was unable to rally in the final round and finished in 10th place in Thursday's weather-delayed Sun Belt Conference Men's Golf Championship.
The Ragin' Cajuns finished their third round on Thursday with a seven-over-par 293 score, completing three rounds on the Annandale Golf Club with a 22-over 886 score. The top four teams advanced to Thursday's match play competition, with UL finishing 23 shots out of advancing to match play for the first time since winning the title in 2023.
UL did not have any players finish in the individual top 25 at the end of stroke play, which had to be completed early Thursday morning when heavy rains hit the 7,143-yard par-72 layout Wednesday afternoon and caused suspension of the third round.
"It's definitely a disappointing way to end a season that certainly had potential," said head coach Theo Sliman. "But potential is a word that athletics does not care for. From top to bottom this week, we didn't perform the way we expect and the way we should."
The Cajuns' top finishers were senior Malan Potgieter and freshman James Holtsclaw, who tied for 26th over three rounds at four-over-par 220. Potgieter, who was the Sun Belt's top-ranked individual going into the tournament at No. 37 nationally, had UL's low round of the event with a two-under 70 in the round that ended Thursday. The senior from Kirkwood, South Africa, will likely earn an at-large invitation to the NCAA Championships as an individual courtesy of that national ranking.
Holtsclaw, a product of Shreveport, was UL's leader after the first round with a one-under 71, and he matched that in the final round to finish 71-78-71—220 in his first conference event. Fellow freshman Drew Sliman rallied from an opening 78 to go 73-73 in his final two rounds and finished tied for 41st at eight-over 224.
Senior Jean Louis du Plessis and junior Carter Schmitt struggled in the rain-marred final round. Du Plessis, from Graff-Reinet, South Africa, had a 79 in his final round and finished a 14-over 230, while Schmitt followed his even-par 72 second round with an 85 and finished at 17-over 233.
"It is golf and it is a fickle game," Sliman said, "but disappointing is the best word to describe this week. We're losing two seniors, and these guys that are returning need to look in the mirror and get some reflection because they have a short summer to get a lot better."
Defending champion Coastal Carolina shot a five-under 283 in the final round of stroke play and finished at 14-under 850 to finish atop stroke play for the second straight year. Arkansas State had the low final round at 282 and was three strokes back at 853, with Southern Miss in third at 856 and South Alabama moving up two spots in the final round and finishing fourth at one-under 863. Those top four teams advanced to Thursday's match play round which determines the league champion and the automatic bid to the NCAA Championships.
Coastal's Max Bengtsson took the individual title with his final-round 69 leaving him at 11-under 205, three strokes better than teammate Drew Sykes who finished at four-under 68 for a runner-up 208 total.
Sun Belt Conference Golf Championships – Final stroke-play results
April 27-30, 2026
Annandale Golf Club (7,143 yards, par 72), Madison, Miss.
Team Standings: 1. Coastal Carolina 282-285-283—850 (-14); 2. Arkansas State 284-287-282—853 (-11); 3. Southern Miss 288-285-284—856 (-8); 4. South Alabama 289-288-286—863 (-1); 5. James Madison 290-280-294—864 (even); 6. Georgia Southern 297-288-286—871 (+7); 7. ULM 303-281-296—880 (+16); T8. Georgia State 299-293-292—884 (+20); T8. Troy 294-287-303—884 (+20); 10. Louisiana 298-295-293—886 (+22); 11. App State 294-297-299—890; T12. Texas State 297-301-299—897 (+33); T12. Old Dominion 301-295-301—897 (+33); 14. Marshall 323-300-296—919 (+55).
Individual Leaders: 1. Max Bengtsson, Coastal Carolina, 70-66-69—205 (-11); 2. Drew Sykes, Coastal Carolina, 70-70-68—208 (-8); T3. Jake Wallis, Arkansas State, 68-69-72—209 (-7); T3. Thomas Schmitt, Arkansas State, 70-70-69—209 (-7); T3. Benjamin Fernandez, Southern Miss, 69-73-67—209 (-7).
UL Scores: T26. Malan Potgieter 75-75-70—220 (+4); T26. James Holtsclaw 71-78-71—220 (+4); T41. Drew Sliman 78-73-73—224 (+8); 60. Jean Louis du Plessis 76-75-79—230 (+14); T62. Carter Schmitt 76-72-85—233 (+17).
The Ragin' Cajuns finished their third round on Thursday with a seven-over-par 293 score, completing three rounds on the Annandale Golf Club with a 22-over 886 score. The top four teams advanced to Thursday's match play competition, with UL finishing 23 shots out of advancing to match play for the first time since winning the title in 2023.
UL did not have any players finish in the individual top 25 at the end of stroke play, which had to be completed early Thursday morning when heavy rains hit the 7,143-yard par-72 layout Wednesday afternoon and caused suspension of the third round.
"It's definitely a disappointing way to end a season that certainly had potential," said head coach Theo Sliman. "But potential is a word that athletics does not care for. From top to bottom this week, we didn't perform the way we expect and the way we should."
The Cajuns' top finishers were senior Malan Potgieter and freshman James Holtsclaw, who tied for 26th over three rounds at four-over-par 220. Potgieter, who was the Sun Belt's top-ranked individual going into the tournament at No. 37 nationally, had UL's low round of the event with a two-under 70 in the round that ended Thursday. The senior from Kirkwood, South Africa, will likely earn an at-large invitation to the NCAA Championships as an individual courtesy of that national ranking.
Holtsclaw, a product of Shreveport, was UL's leader after the first round with a one-under 71, and he matched that in the final round to finish 71-78-71—220 in his first conference event. Fellow freshman Drew Sliman rallied from an opening 78 to go 73-73 in his final two rounds and finished tied for 41st at eight-over 224.
Senior Jean Louis du Plessis and junior Carter Schmitt struggled in the rain-marred final round. Du Plessis, from Graff-Reinet, South Africa, had a 79 in his final round and finished a 14-over 230, while Schmitt followed his even-par 72 second round with an 85 and finished at 17-over 233.
"It is golf and it is a fickle game," Sliman said, "but disappointing is the best word to describe this week. We're losing two seniors, and these guys that are returning need to look in the mirror and get some reflection because they have a short summer to get a lot better."
Defending champion Coastal Carolina shot a five-under 283 in the final round of stroke play and finished at 14-under 850 to finish atop stroke play for the second straight year. Arkansas State had the low final round at 282 and was three strokes back at 853, with Southern Miss in third at 856 and South Alabama moving up two spots in the final round and finishing fourth at one-under 863. Those top four teams advanced to Thursday's match play round which determines the league champion and the automatic bid to the NCAA Championships.
Coastal's Max Bengtsson took the individual title with his final-round 69 leaving him at 11-under 205, three strokes better than teammate Drew Sykes who finished at four-under 68 for a runner-up 208 total.
Sun Belt Conference Golf Championships – Final stroke-play results
April 27-30, 2026
Annandale Golf Club (7,143 yards, par 72), Madison, Miss.
Team Standings: 1. Coastal Carolina 282-285-283—850 (-14); 2. Arkansas State 284-287-282—853 (-11); 3. Southern Miss 288-285-284—856 (-8); 4. South Alabama 289-288-286—863 (-1); 5. James Madison 290-280-294—864 (even); 6. Georgia Southern 297-288-286—871 (+7); 7. ULM 303-281-296—880 (+16); T8. Georgia State 299-293-292—884 (+20); T8. Troy 294-287-303—884 (+20); 10. Louisiana 298-295-293—886 (+22); 11. App State 294-297-299—890; T12. Texas State 297-301-299—897 (+33); T12. Old Dominion 301-295-301—897 (+33); 14. Marshall 323-300-296—919 (+55).
Individual Leaders: 1. Max Bengtsson, Coastal Carolina, 70-66-69—205 (-11); 2. Drew Sykes, Coastal Carolina, 70-70-68—208 (-8); T3. Jake Wallis, Arkansas State, 68-69-72—209 (-7); T3. Thomas Schmitt, Arkansas State, 70-70-69—209 (-7); T3. Benjamin Fernandez, Southern Miss, 69-73-67—209 (-7).
UL Scores: T26. Malan Potgieter 75-75-70—220 (+4); T26. James Holtsclaw 71-78-71—220 (+4); T41. Drew Sliman 78-73-73—224 (+8); 60. Jean Louis du Plessis 76-75-79—230 (+14); T62. Carter Schmitt 76-72-85—233 (+17).
Players Mentioned
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