CARLSBAD, Calif. (5/27/26) – The final tournament of a historic 2025-26 season for the No. 39 Arkansas State men's golf team has arrived, as the Red Wolves prepare for their NCAA Championships debut Friday at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California.

The tournament features a unique format, beginning with three rounds of stroke play Friday-Sunday. Following the conclusion of the opening 54 holes, the top 15 teams and the top nine individuals not on an advancing team will advance to a fourth stroke play round on Monday, June 1. Following the fourth and final round of stroke play, an individual champion will be crowned, and the top eight teams will advance to the match play quarterfinals in the quest for a team national title.

Live scoring throughout the entire event will be available through Scoreboard. The opening three rounds of stroke play will be streamed live on Babygrande Golf. The fourth round of stroke play begins on Babygrande Golf before Golf Channel provides exclusive coverage of the remaining holes and match play under the following schedule:

Monday, June 1: 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. PT (4:30 to 8:30 p.m. CT)
Tuesday, June 2: 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. PT (12 to 2:30 p.m. CT)
Tuesday, June 2: 3 to 7 p.m. PT (5 to 9 p.m. CT)
Wednesday, June 3: 3 to 7 p.m. PT (5 to 9 p.m. CT)

For a third consecutive season, Omni La Costa's North Course, in Carlsbad, California, plays host to both the men's and women's NCAA Championships. The par-72, 7,528-yard course designed by Gill Hanse has hosted 37 PGA Tour events with fields featuring the likes of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Gary Player.

Already rewriting the record book, A-State added its defining chapter punching its ticket to its first appearance at the NCAA Championships with a fourth place finish at the Marana Regional. The Red Wolves own four wins this season and have finished inside the top four in 10 of 11 events. A-State owns a single-season program record stroke average of 281.58 (70.39). Champions of the Sun Belt Conference for the third time in program history, A-State holds a record of 145-22-2 this season.

A-State's lineup will consist of Thomas Schmidt, Jake Wallis, Milan Reed, Cole Kirby and Jake Lile. Viggo Hed will also make the trip as a substitute. Lile will get the Red Wolves started, teeing off the first tee at 7:47 a.m. (PT) with Kirby following at 7:58 a.m. (PT). Reed eyes the first fairway at 8:09 a.m. (PT) with Wallis (8:20 a.m. PT) and Schmidt (8:31 a.m. PT) wrapping up the tee times. The Red Wolves will be paired with Mississippi State and Purdue for the first and second rounds.

Arkansas State Lineup
Thomas Schmidt
Named Sun Belt Golfer of the Year for the third consecutive season, Schmidt has posted his best season yet with a single-season program-record 69.21 scoring average. Schmidt won three events to be among eight players nationally with three or more wins on the season and added three more finishes inside the top 10, including a pair of runner-ups. Over 11 events played, he produced 27 of 33 rounds under par, including 16 in the 60s. Schmidt finished tied for third at the Sun Belt Conference Championship at 7-under par 209. He placed 21st at the Marana Regional at 5-under par 211 (69-71-71).

Jake Wallis
The 2025 Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year followed it up with a stellar sophomore season to earn First Team All-Sun Belt Conference recognition. Wallis ranks second on the team with 25 rounds of par or better and carries a 70.52 stroke average, second-best in single-season program history. He finished inside the top 25 in 10 of 11 events, claiming top five finishes in four, including medalist honors at the Saint Mary's Invitational. He produced 13 rounds in the 60s, including a pair at the Sun Belt Conference Championship where he finished tied for third at 7-under par 209 (68-69-72). He placed tied for 49th at the Marana Regional at 3-over par 219 (80-66-73).

Milan Reed
A Third Team All-Sun Belt Conference pick, Reed posted a scoring average of 71.55 to rank third on the team and eighth-best in single-season program history. He had five top 20 finishes on the season, including his first career win in the Bubba Barnett Intercollegiate. Reed tied for 18th at the SBC Championship at 3-over par 219 (75-74-70). He totaled 19 of 33 rounds par or better and placed tied for 43rd at the Marana Regional with a total of 2-over par 218 (75-73-72).

Cole Kirby
A steady spring has seen Kirby play his best golf at A-State. In the spring portion of the slate, Kirby is a combined 5-under par for a stroke average of 71.72. On the season, Kirby has a 72.67 scoring average with 12 par or better rounds, 10 of which have come over the last five events. He produced a career-low 7-under par 65 in the first round of the Marana Regional. Kirby finished 1-over par 217 (71-74-72) at the SBC Championship to tie for 15th. He finished tied for 31st at the Marana Regional with a 1-under par 215 (65-79-71).

Jake Lile
Ranking fifth on the team with a 72.27 stroke average, Lile has played all 33 rounds this season registering 18 at par or better. Lile posted four top-20 finishes, including a pair of top fives. He finished tied for 36th individually at the Sun Belt Conference Championship and provided two wins in match play as the Red Wolves won their third conference title, second in last three seasons. Lile carded a school record 8-under par 64 in the second round of the Marana Regional. He totaled 7-over par 223 (77-75-71) at the SBC Championship to tie for 36th and 7-under par (74-64-71) at the Marana Regional to tie for 14th.

Viggo Hed
A transfer from Southeastern Louisiana and the 2025 Southland Freshman of the Year, Hed has played in eight of 11 events carrying a 74.00 scoring average. Seven of his 21 rounds finished under par, including a low of 68. He finished tied for 18th at the Pay it Forward Collegiate at 2-under par 214.

2026 NCAA Championships
Teams
Seed (National Ranking)
1 Auburn (1)
2 Florida (2)
3 Texas (3)
4 Virginia (4)
5 Oklahoma State (5)
6 Arkansas (6)
7 LSU (7)
8 Ole Miss (9)
9 North Carolina (10)
10 Vanderbilt (11)
11 Arizona (12)
12 Arizona State (13)
13 Pepperdine (14)
14 Stanford (15)
15 Oklahoma (16)
16 Tennessee (18)
17 Texas A&M (20)
18 BYU (22)
19 Georgia (23)
20 Florida State (26)
21 USC (28)
22 Duke (29)
23 UCLA (30)
24 Louisville (33)
25 Mississippi State (37)
26 Arkansas State (39)
27 Purdue (40)
28 San Diego (42)
29 Chattanooga (56)
30 Memphis (57)

Individuals
1 – William Jennings (Alabama)
2 – Malan Potgieter (Louisiana)
3 – Michael Lugiano (Liberty)
4 – Steen Zeman (Long Beach State)
5 – Jorge Martin Sampedro (UTRGV)
6 – Jacob Lang (Kentucky)

Tee Times
Player - 1st Rd (1) / 2nd Rd (10)
Jake Lile 7:47 am / 1:07 pm
Cole Kirby 7:58 am / 1:18 pm
Milan Reed 8:09 am / 1:29 pm
Jake Wallis 8:20 am / 1:40 pm
Thomas Schmidt 8:31 am / 1:51 pm
All tee times listed in Pacific Time