11

NCAA Regional appearances in school history, including four times in the last five seasons

10

Team championships under head coach Grant Robbins

7

Consecutive seasons with a team or individual appearance in NCAA Regionals, a program best

281.47

Team Stroke average in 2022-23, the best mark in school history by nearly seven shots per round

The 2025-26 season marked the 91st season of men's golf at K-State and the 12th under head coach Grant Robbins, who was named the 2023 Big 12 Men's Golf Coach of the Year. He has led the Wildcats to four NCAA Regional appearances in tthe last five years, including the 2023 NCAA Bath (Mich.) Regional when the Wildcats went toe-to-toe with eventual National Champion Florida for one of the last qualifying spots for the NCAA Championship and the 2025 NCAA Bremerton (Wash.) Regional in which the Wildcats finished three shots shy of advancing to the national championship. Robbins, who was introduced in May 2014 as the 13th head coach in program history, has seen eight of his teams rank in the top 10 in school history in team scoring average, including the 2022-23 squad that broke the school record with a mark of 281.47, over four strokes per round better than the previous school record held by the 2018-19 squad.

Mike Ahearn, the namesake of Ahearn Fieldhouse, was the first men's golf coach in K-State history, beginning his 20-year tenure in 1927. Twelve different coaches have guided the Wildcats during the program's history, including Ahearn and the second longest-tenured coach in program history, Tim Norris.

After Ahearn's retirement and Benny York's one year stay in 1948, Mickey Evans took over from 1949-1961. Evans' 1956 team finished third in the Big Seven Championship, which is tied for the highest conference championship placing in school history. The program's other third-place finish came under Bill Guthridge at the Big 8 Championship in 1965. Other Wildcat golf coaches of note include Ray Wauthier, (1977 & 1980-86) who holds a K-State record with seven all-time wins by a men's golf coach, and Mark Elliot, whose 1993 team was the first to compete in post-season play in school history after advancing to the NCAA Central Regional.

NORRIS REVIVES THE PROGRAM

When Norris arrived in Manhattan on August 1, 1997, he inherited a program that hadn't finished in the top half of its conference since placing fourth in the former Big Eight Conference in 1969. Making the assignment even tougher was the fact that the Wildcats finished last in the Big Eight for 14 straight years from 1978-1991. In his 17 seasons at Kansas State, Norris turned a once dormant Division I golf program into a legitimate Big 12 contender.

ROBBINS ERA BEGINS IN 2014-15

Norris announced in August 2013 that his 17th year at K-State would be his last. Following a coaching search throughout the 2013-14 season, Robbins was hired on May 18, 2014, following 11 years at his alma mater, Memphis, and three years prior at UNC Wilmington. The three-time conference coach of the year had guided teams to six NCAA Regional appearances, including his 2012 Memphis team that captured the Conference USA championship and advanced to the NCAA Championship prior to his sustained success at K-State.

CHAMPIONS IN THE CLASSROOM

Under Norris and continuing under Robbins, work might begin on the golf course, but it doesn't end there. K-State men's golf places a heavy emphasis on academics, which is why it produces true student-athletes. In the history of the program, K-State men's golfers have earned GCAA/Cleveland Golf All-America Scholars honors 16 times, while, since 1990-91, the Wildcats have accumulated 92 Academic All-Big 8/12 honors, including a program-record six in both 2016-17 and 2017-18.

NCAA SUCCESS

The Wildcats have qualified for the NCAA Regionals 10 times, including the 2022, 2023 and 2025 seasons. Even though the Wildcats have yet to advance a team past the regional round, K-State has advanced individuals to the NCAA Championships. Jim Colbert, the namesake for Colbert Hills Golf Club, finished as the runner up for the 1964 NCAA Championship before turning pro. Then, in 1992, Richard Laing advanced to the NCAA Championship. AJ Elgert tied for 12th at the 2003 Central Regional to extend his collegiate career to the national championship where he finished tied for 28th following a 72-hole score of 8-over 288. In 2005, Robert Streb became the fourth Wildcat, but the first freshman ever, to advance to the NCAA Championship after tying for 12th at regionals. Most recently, Luke O'Neill finished second in the 2023 NCAA Bath (Mich.) Regional to advance to the NCAA Championship as an individual.

On an individual level, Wildcats have competed in regionals 15 times. In the first year under Robbins, Matt Green earned a bid into the 2015 NCAA San Diego Regional, while Jeremy Gandon, who became K-State's first conference medalist in 67 years, earned an automatic individual bid to the 2018 NCAA Pacific Regional after tying for first as an individual in the Big 12 Championship. The 2018-19 team made history when Roland Massimino, Jacob Eklund and Gandon all represented K-State at the NCAA Athens Regional. It was the second time in school history multiple individuals competed in the postseason (2010) and the first time the Wildcats ever sent three individuals to a regional. Tim Tillmanns also competed as an individual in the 2021 NCAA Stillwater Regional, while Cooper Schultz represtended K-State in the 2024 NCAA Austin Regional.

LETTERWINNERS

K-State Men's Golf has produced over 100 letterwinners in its long history, including Wildcat legend Jim Colbert and current PGA Tour/Korn Ferry Tour member Robert Streb.

List of All-Time Letterwinners

COACHES

The 2025-26 season is the 12th season of head coach Grant Robbins. Assisting Robbins is Cullen Carstens, who was hired as the associate head coach on December 6, 2022, and is in his second tour of duty after serving as the assistant from fall 2014 through spring 2017

Mike Ahearn, 1927-47
Benny York, 1948
Mickey Evans, 1949-61
Howard Shannon, 1962-64
Bill Guthridge, 1965-1967
Ron Fogler, 1968-75 & 1978
Ray Wauthier, 1977 & 1980-86
Paul Anderson, 1979
Rob Sedorcek, 1986-88
Russ Bunker, 1989-91
Mark Elliot, 1991-97
Tim Norris, 1997-2014
Grant Robbins, 2014-present (above)

42 Team Championships Since 1969

Fall 2025 /// Wildcat Invitational
Fall 2024 /// Wildcat Invitational
Fall 2023 /// Wildcat Invitational
Spring 2023 /// The Johnnie-O
Fall 2022 /// Oregon State Invitational
Fall 2022 /// Old Town Collegiate
Fall 2022 /// Wildcat Invitational
Spring 2021 /// Git-R-Done Husker Invitational
Spring 2019 /// Mission Inn Spring Spectacular
Fall 2012 /// Pacific Invitational
Fall 2012 /// Jim Colbert Intercollegiate
Spring 2012 /// Wyoming Cowboy Classic
Fall 2009 /// Jim Colbert Intercollegiate
Spring 2009 /// Shocker Classic
Spring 2009 /// Dual in the Desert
Spring 2009 /// Mizzou Tiger Intercollegiate
Fall 2008 /// Jim Colbert Intercollegiate
Fall 2008 /// Pacific Invitational
Spring 2008 /// Ron Moore Invitational
Fall 2003 /// Purina Classic
Fall 2002 /// K-State vs. OU Dual
Spring 2002 /// Wildcat Invitational
Fall 2001 /// Jim Colbert Intercollegiate
Fall 1998 /// Wildcat Intercollegiate
Spring 1995 /// Southwest Classic
Fall 1994 /// D.A. Weibring Intercollegiate
Fall 1992 /// Iowa State Cyclone Classic
Spring 1992 /// SMSU Invitational
Fall 1988 /// K-State Invitational
Spring 1988 /// Creighton Invitational
Spring 1987 /// K-State/Pepsi Classic
Spring 1987 /// Neb. Wesleyan Invitational
Spring 1986 /// Kansas State Triangular
Spring 1985 /// Marymount Invitational
Spring 1985 /// Park College Invitational
Spring 1985 /// Heart of America
Fall 1984 /// Kansas State Invitational
Spring 1984 /// Bethany Invitational
Fall 1983 /// Penn Valley Invitational
Fall 1983 /// Spartan Golf Quad
Spring 1973 /// Kansas State Triangular
Spring 1972 /// Nebraska Invitational

45 Individual Championships Since 1969

Nicklaus Mason /// 2024 Steelwood Collegiate Invitational
Nicklaus Mason /// 2024 Wildcat Invitational
Tim Tillmanns /// 2023 The Johnnie-O
Cooper Schultz /// 2022 Wildcat Invitational
Luke O'Neill /// 2022 Colleton River Collegiate
Jeremy Gandon /// 2019 Mission Inn Spring Spectacular
Jeremy Gandon /// 2017 Big 12 Championship
Jeremy Gandon /// 2017 Hawkeye Invitational
Jeremy Gandon /// 2015 Golfweek Conference Challenge
Matt Green /// 2013 Jack Nicklaus Invitational
Ben Juffer /// 2012 Wyoming Cowboy Classic
Curtis Yonke /// 2010 Mizzou Tiger Intercollegiate
Joe Ida /// 2009 Jim Colbert Intercollegiate
Robert Streb /// 2009 Dual in the Desert
Mitchell Gregson /// 2008 Santa Clara Invitational
Mitchell Gregson /// 2008 Jim Colbert Intercollegiate
Mitchell Gregson /// 2008 Santa Clara Invitational
Mitchell Gregson /// 2008 Jim Colbert Intercollegiate
Ben Kern /// 2006 ASU Thunderbird Invitational
Matt Van Cleave /// 2005 Matlock Collegiate
Matt Van Cleave /// 2003 Purina Classic
Aaron Watkins /// 2002 Jim Colbert Intercollegiate
Aaron Watkins /// 2002 Oklahoma Dual
Bryan Milberger /// 2000 Fairway Club Invitational
Mark Sears /// 1998 Wildcat Intercollegiate
Chad Buckridge /// 1996 Arlington Awards
Troy Halterman /// 1994 D.A. Weibring
Troy Halterman /// 1994 UTA Invitational
Richard Laing /// 1993 Shocker Classic
Brett Waldman /// 1992 Cyclone Classic
Richard Laing /// 1992 Blazer Invitational
Jeff Sedorcek /// 1988 Kansas State Invitational
Chris Gomez /// 1988 Creighton Invitational
Troy Keller /// 1987 Kansas Invitational
Jeff Sedorcek /// 1987 Drake Relays
Robert Sedorcek /// 1985 Marymount Invitational
Kevin Crow /// 1985 Heart of America
Robert Sedorcek /// 1984 Kansas State Invitational
Robert Sedorcek /// 1984 Heart of America
Robert Sedorcek /// 1984 Bethany Invitational
Robert Sedorcek /// 1983 Penn Valley Invitational
Allen French /// 1983 Spartan Quad
Scott Bunker /// 1978 Midwest Intercollegiate
Paul Anderson /// 1973 Kansas State Triangular
Bob Philbrick /// 1971 Missouri Invitational

All-Time Individual Rounds

	Score	Par	Player	Date	Event (Round)
1.	62	N/A	Don Bishop	1948	Duel vs. Kansas
2.	63	69	Ben Kern	10/22/04	The Nelson Inv. (2nd)
3.	64	72	Nicklaus Mason	10/26/24	Steelwood Collegiate Invitational (2nd)
	64	72	Cooper Schultz	9/17/24	Wildcat Invitational (2nd)
	64	72	Cooper Schultz	4/10/23	Tiger Collegiate Invitational (2nd)
	64	72	Will Hopkins	4/5/21	Missouri Tiger Invitational (1st)
	64	71	Mitchell Gregson	10/20/08	Santa Clara Invitational (2nd)
	64	71	Matt Williams	10/29/01	Branson Creek Inv. (2nd)
9.	65	72	Nicklaus Mason	9/16/24	Wildcat Invitational (1st)
	65	70	Tim Tillmanns	3/14/23	The Johnnie-O (2nd)
	65	72	Nicklaus Mason	3/6/23	Colleton River Collegiate (1st)
	65	70	Cooper Schultz	9/26/22	Old Town Collegiate (2nd)
	65	70	Cooper Schultz	9/27/21	Old Town Collegiate (2nd)
	65	72	Jacob Eklund	4/8/19	Missouri Tiger Invitational (2nd)
	65	70	Roland Massimino	9/21/19	Maui Jim Intercollegiate (1st)
	65	72	Ben Juffer	10/30/12	Pacific Invitational (2nd)
	65	72	Daniel Wood	10/29/12	Pacific Invitational (1st)
	65	71	Matt Green	9/10/12	Shocker Classic (2nd)
	65	70	Ben Juffer	4/9/12	Wyoming Cowboy Classic (1st)
	65	72	Thomas Birdsey	9/27/10	Jim Colbert Intercollegiate (2nd)
	65	71	Joe Ida	3/31/08	Shocker Classic (1st)
	65	72	Joe Ida	11/6/07	Pacific Invitational (2nd)
	65	71	Ben Kern	4/9/06	ASU Thunderbird Inv. (2,3)
	65	71	Matt Van Cleave	10/7/03	Purina Classic (3rd)
	65	71	Aaron Watkins	10/6/03	Purina Classic (2nd)

All-Time Lowest Individual 54-Hole Scores

	Score	Player	Date	Event
1.	67-65-66--198	Tim Tillmanns	3/14-15/23	The Johnnie-O
	65-66-67--198	Ben Juffer	4/9-10/12	Cowboy Classic
3.	66-64-69--199	Nicklaus Mason	10/26-27/24	Steelwood Collegiate Invitational
	69-65-65--199	Ben Kern	4/8-9/06	ASU Thunderbird Invitational
5.	67-68-65--200	Tim Tillmanns	4/10-11/23	Tiger Collegiate Invitational
6.	67-64-70--201	Mitchell Gregson	10/20-21/08	Santa Clara Invitational
7.	68-68-66--202	Luke O'Neill	3/7-8/22	Colleton River Collegiate
	70-67-65--202	Matt Van Cleave	10/6-7/03	Purina Classic
9.	70-65-68--203	Cooper Schultz	9/27-28/21	Old Town Collegiate
	66-65-72--203	Jacob Eklund	4/8-9/19	Missouri Tiger Invitational
	68-69-66--203	Robert Streb	3/19-21/09	Desert Shootout
	69-65-69--203	Joe Ida	11/5-7/07	Pacific Invitational
	69-68-66--203	Robert Streb	11/5-7/07	Pacific Invitational

All-Time Lowest Individual 72-Hole Scores

	Score	Player	Date	Event
1.	69-75-67-69--280	Robert Streb	4/27-29/09	Big 12 Championship
2.	71-69-71-72--283	Jeremy Gandon	4/23-25/16	Big 12 Championship
3.	70-75-67-73--285	Jeremy Gandon	4/29-5/1/18	Big 12 Championship
4.	76-73-68-71--288	Cooper Schultz	4/24-26/23	Big 12 Championship
	68-69-75-76--288	A.J. Elgert	6/1-4/04	NCAA Championship

All-Time Lowest Team Rounds

	Score	Event	Date	Round
1.	268	Purina Classic	10/4/03	2
2.	279	Colleton River Collegiate	3/6/23	1
3.	270	Old Town Collegiate	9/26/22	2
	270	Pacific Invitational	10/30/12	2
	270	Old Town Collegiate	9/28/21	2
6.	271	Wildcat Invitational	9/12/22	2
	271	Cardinal Classic	9/30/08	3
	271	ASU Thunderbird Invitational	4/5/06	2
	271	Nelson Invitational	10/22/04	2
10.	273	Wildcat Invitational	9/17/23	2
	273	Tiger Collegiate Invitational	3/10/23	2
	273	The Johnnie-O	3/14/23	2
	273	Pacific Invitational	10/31/12	3
	273	Pacific Invitational	11/5/07	1

All-Time Lowest Team 54-Hole Scores

	Score	Event	Date	Place
1.	274-270-273--817	Pacific Invitational	10/29-31/12	1st
2.	280-270-275--825	Old Town Collegiate	9/27-28/21	6th
3.	268-277-281--826	Cowboy Classic	4/9-10/12	1st
	273-274-279--826	Pacific Invitational	11/5-7/07	2nd
5.	281-273-274--828	Tiger Collegiate Invitational	4/10-11/23	3rd
	274-270-284--828	Old Town Collegiate	9/26-27/22	1st
7.	277-268-285--830	Purina Classic	10/6-7/03	1st
8.	276-276-279--831	Missouri Tiger Invitational	4/8-9/19	2nd
9.	269-275-288--832	Colleton River Collegiate	3/6-7/23	2nd
10.	287-271-277--835	ASU Thunderbird Invitational	4/8-9/06	T3rd