DALLAS – The 2024-25 Conference USA Men’s Golf All-Conference and Superlative honors were announced Friday with Kennesaw State’s
Claes Borregaard named the CUSA Men’s Golf Player of the Year. Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, All-Conference and All-Freshman selections are determined by the national rankings by Scoreboard, powered by Clippd, while the Phillip Hatchett Coach of the Year award was selected through a vote conducted by the league’s nine head coaches.
In its inaugural season in Conference USA, Kennesaw State garnered two superlative awards in Borregaard earning Player of the Year and
Luca Gallingani claiming Freshman of the Year. Sam Houston’s
Brandt Kieschnick was named the Phillip Hatchett Coach of the Year.
Eight CUSA men’s golf programs earned All-Conference honors, while five institutions had student-athletes represented on the All-Freshman team. Sam Houston and New Mexico State led the league with four players each across the three All-Conference teams and All-Freshman team.
Borregaard, ranked 96th nationally, tied for third place at the 2025 CUSA Championship in Texarkana, Ark., finishing just two strokes behind the individual champion, NM State’s
Aidan Thomas, with a total score of 6-under par. His efforts this season secured him an individual berth at the NCAA Championship’s Auburn Regional in Auburn, Ala.
Gallingani is the league’s highest-ranked CUSA freshman by Scoreboard, powered by Clippd. The Buenos Aires, Argentina native had four top-20 finishes this season and a scoring average of 71.9.
Sam Houston’s Kieschnick led the Bearkats to their first men’s golf Conference USA title, securing the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. The Bearkats racked up seven top-five finishes, including three first place victories out of 11 tournaments competed so far this season. Sam Houston is set to compete in the Reno Regional from May 12-14.
2025 Conference USA Men’s Golf Superlative Awards
Player of the Year: Claes Borregaard, KSU
Freshman of the Year: Luca Gallingani, KSU
Phillip Hatchett Coach of the Year: Brandt Kieschnick, Sam Houston
All-CUSA First Team
Claes Borregaard, KSU
Ike Joy, Liberty
Aidan Thomas, NM State
Hugo Trommetter, Sam Houston
Max Schliesing, UTEP
All-CUSA Second Team
Niilo Maki-Petaja, LA Tech
Markus Varjun, MTSU
Ethan Klose, NM State
Bret Gray, Sam Houston
Dylan Teeter, UTEP
All-CUSA Third Team
Ryley Heath, Jax State
Shaun Cook, KSU
Josh Ryan, Liberty
Alexandre Bauduin, NM State
Gene Chaikangwal, Sam Houston
All-CUSA Freshman Team
Luca Gallingani, KSU
Michael Lugiano, Liberty
Thad Whitfield, MTSU
Mateo Payan, NM State
Ethan Dufresne, Sam Houston