University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Wednesday, September 16
Destin, Fla.
9:00 a.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
at
Sandestin Collegiate Classic
Louisiana Finishes Fourth Overall at Sandestin Collegiate Classic
9/16/2026 3:50:00 PM | Golf
Cajuns head to Chicago for Highlands Invitational for second event of the fall
MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. – UL's golf team was in the top two in the standings through most of the final round, but a couple of errant shots late cost the Ragin' Cajuns a chance at a team championship in their first tournament of the season.
Instead, the Cajuns finished in fourth place in the 14-team field, three strokes out of the lead, in Wednesday's final round of the Sandestin Collegiate Classic hosted by Texas State.
UL carded a seven-over-par 287 in the final round and finished at one-over 841 in the three-day event played at a 7,000-yard par-70 Raven layout made more difficult Wednesday by windy conditions over the final 18 holes.
Mercer and West Florida shared the team title at two-under 838 after Mercer entered the final round with the team lead. Central Arkansas got a couple of late birdies and slipped into third place at one-under 839, with the Cajuns two strokes back at 841.
"We had a couple of hiccups that you can't really have in a final round and expect to take a team title," said Cajun coach Theo Sliman. "But the positive is we've got a very young group, and in their first tournament of the year they learned a lot and put themselves in position to win. Every week we want to learn and get better, and these six came to Sandestin and they're coming home much better golfers."
The Cajuns had the team lead late in Wednesday's final round, but UL's sixsome played their final two holes in a combined six-over par including a pair of double-bogeys.
"Unfortunately it's 54 holes," Sliman said. "If we could get one or two back it would be a different story for sure. But these guys should have their heads up high. They'll be much better for the next week and the next challenge."
The Cajuns, who depart Saturday for their second tournament at the Highlands Invitational in Westchester, Ill., near Chicago, got a one-over 71 from fourth-year senior Carter Schmitt for its low Wednesday round in the lineup. UL counted three two-over 72 scores from fourth-year senior Ellis Bright, sophomore James Holtsclaw and freshman Jack Carter.
Freshman Kye Hanks, who had opened with a one-under 69, struggled to a 76 on Wednesday. UL's low round of the day came from sophomore Drew Sliman, who came back from a pair of 72's to shoot one-under 69.
Bright finished tied for fourth in the individual chase with his 66-68-72—206 (-4) score, while Holtsclaw finished tied for 22nd at one-over 211 and Schmitt, Carter and Sliman all finished tied for 28th at three-over 213 to give UL five finishers in the top 30.
Hector Arriaga of West Florida had a final-round 68 and took the individual title at 10-under 200, one stroke ahead of first-two-rounds leader Jen chie Huang of UT Arlington.
Sandestin Collegiate Classic – Final results
Sept. 16, 2026
The Raven (7,000 yards, par 70) at Sandestin, Miramar Beach, Fla.
Team Standings: T1. Mercer 273-276-289—838 (-2); T1. West Florida 276-281-281—838 (-2); 3. Central Arkansas 283-271=285—839 (-1); 4. Louisiana 271-283-287—841 (+1); 5. ULM 278-281-287—846 (+6); 6. High Point 281-283-283—847 (+7); 7. Lamar 279-288-281—848 (+8); 8. Texas State 278-283-289—850 (+10); 9. South Alabama 289-282-284—855 (+15); T10. Houston Christian 280-283-293—856 (+16); T10. UT Arlington 280-286-290—856 (+16); 12. Nicholls 279-291-292—862 (+22); 13. East Texas A&M 281-293-292—866 (+26); 14. LSU New Orleans 295-306-300—901 (+61).
Individual Leaders: 1. Hector Arriaga, West Florida (individual) 69-63-68—200 (-10); 2. Jen chie Huang, UT-Arlington 64-67-70—201 (-9); 3. Preston Severs, West Florida, 69-65-68—202 (-8); T4. Ellis Bright, Louisiana, 66-68-72—206 (-4); T4. Joshua Hill, South Alabama, 69-67-70—206 (-4); T4. Jace Duckworth, High Point, 67-69-70—206 (-4).
UL Scores: T4. Ellis Bright 66-68-72—206 (-4); T22. James Holtsclaw 68-71-72—211 (+1); T28. Carter Schmitt 71-71-71—213 (+3); T28. Jack Carter 68-73-72—213 (+3); T28. Drew Sliman (individual) 72-72-69—213 (+3); T47. Kye Hanks 69-73-76—218 (+8).
Instead, the Cajuns finished in fourth place in the 14-team field, three strokes out of the lead, in Wednesday's final round of the Sandestin Collegiate Classic hosted by Texas State.
UL carded a seven-over-par 287 in the final round and finished at one-over 841 in the three-day event played at a 7,000-yard par-70 Raven layout made more difficult Wednesday by windy conditions over the final 18 holes.
Mercer and West Florida shared the team title at two-under 838 after Mercer entered the final round with the team lead. Central Arkansas got a couple of late birdies and slipped into third place at one-under 839, with the Cajuns two strokes back at 841.
"We had a couple of hiccups that you can't really have in a final round and expect to take a team title," said Cajun coach Theo Sliman. "But the positive is we've got a very young group, and in their first tournament of the year they learned a lot and put themselves in position to win. Every week we want to learn and get better, and these six came to Sandestin and they're coming home much better golfers."
The Cajuns had the team lead late in Wednesday's final round, but UL's sixsome played their final two holes in a combined six-over par including a pair of double-bogeys.
"Unfortunately it's 54 holes," Sliman said. "If we could get one or two back it would be a different story for sure. But these guys should have their heads up high. They'll be much better for the next week and the next challenge."
The Cajuns, who depart Saturday for their second tournament at the Highlands Invitational in Westchester, Ill., near Chicago, got a one-over 71 from fourth-year senior Carter Schmitt for its low Wednesday round in the lineup. UL counted three two-over 72 scores from fourth-year senior Ellis Bright, sophomore James Holtsclaw and freshman Jack Carter.
Freshman Kye Hanks, who had opened with a one-under 69, struggled to a 76 on Wednesday. UL's low round of the day came from sophomore Drew Sliman, who came back from a pair of 72's to shoot one-under 69.
Bright finished tied for fourth in the individual chase with his 66-68-72—206 (-4) score, while Holtsclaw finished tied for 22nd at one-over 211 and Schmitt, Carter and Sliman all finished tied for 28th at three-over 213 to give UL five finishers in the top 30.
Hector Arriaga of West Florida had a final-round 68 and took the individual title at 10-under 200, one stroke ahead of first-two-rounds leader Jen chie Huang of UT Arlington.
Sandestin Collegiate Classic – Final results
Sept. 16, 2026
The Raven (7,000 yards, par 70) at Sandestin, Miramar Beach, Fla.
Team Standings: T1. Mercer 273-276-289—838 (-2); T1. West Florida 276-281-281—838 (-2); 3. Central Arkansas 283-271=285—839 (-1); 4. Louisiana 271-283-287—841 (+1); 5. ULM 278-281-287—846 (+6); 6. High Point 281-283-283—847 (+7); 7. Lamar 279-288-281—848 (+8); 8. Texas State 278-283-289—850 (+10); 9. South Alabama 289-282-284—855 (+15); T10. Houston Christian 280-283-293—856 (+16); T10. UT Arlington 280-286-290—856 (+16); 12. Nicholls 279-291-292—862 (+22); 13. East Texas A&M 281-293-292—866 (+26); 14. LSU New Orleans 295-306-300—901 (+61).
Individual Leaders: 1. Hector Arriaga, West Florida (individual) 69-63-68—200 (-10); 2. Jen chie Huang, UT-Arlington 64-67-70—201 (-9); 3. Preston Severs, West Florida, 69-65-68—202 (-8); T4. Ellis Bright, Louisiana, 66-68-72—206 (-4); T4. Joshua Hill, South Alabama, 69-67-70—206 (-4); T4. Jace Duckworth, High Point, 67-69-70—206 (-4).
UL Scores: T4. Ellis Bright 66-68-72—206 (-4); T22. James Holtsclaw 68-71-72—211 (+1); T28. Carter Schmitt 71-71-71—213 (+3); T28. Jack Carter 68-73-72—213 (+3); T28. Drew Sliman (individual) 72-72-69—213 (+3); T47. Kye Hanks 69-73-76—218 (+8).
Players Mentioned
/ Golf
/ Golf
/ Golf
/ Golf
/ Golf
/ Golf
Monday, May 11
Monday, March 02
Monday, March 04
Monday, March 06
