NORMAN, OKLAHOMA - The University of South Carolina Beaufort Freshman Octavio Laurent has been named to the 2026 NCAA Division II PING All-America First Team following the Men's NCAA Division II National Championship.
Laurent finished a historic freshman season as he was the 2025-26 NCAA Division II National Champion after finishing the tournament 17 under par.
Throughout the season he competed in 12 tournaments this season where he finished with seven tournaments under par, had eight top 10 finishes, including three in the top three. He finished with a scoring average of 69.8. In addition he carded 23 rounds at par or better across 35 total rounds this season. He finished five of his final six tournaments of the season under par.
He won the National Championship after an incredible showing at the NCAA Division II National Championship in Nevada. Laurent finished the NCAA Championships with a tournament-high 22 birdies. He added 27 pars to total 49 pars or better in 54 holes in the tournament. He went 18 straight holes at par or better and played 35 of 36 holes at par or better during the final two rounds. His third round made history, not only securing the National Championship for Laurent, but also making him the first Sand Shark athlete to win a national title in the NCAA Division II era.
Laurent ends the season with the following accolades:
● 2026 NCAA National Champion
● Peach Belt Conference Co-Player of the Year
● Peach Belt Conference Freshman of the Year
● 2026 First Team NCAA Division II PING All-Southeast Region Team
● 2026 First Team NCAA Division II PING All-American
● 2026 NCAA Division II Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award
About PING All-Americans
The GCAA began naming NCAA Division II All-Americans in 1975, with PING sponsoring the award since at least 1991. For Division II, the First Team consists of eight golfers (nine if the individual national champion wasn't already named to the First Team), eight on the Second Team, eight on the Third Team, and at least 16 earn Honorable Mention All-America honors. Automatic additions from GCAA member schools to Honorable Mention if not previously named include top-15 finishers at the NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championship, the top two players in each All-Region ballot, and NCAA Division II Regional Medalists.
NCAA Division II PING All-Americans
First Team
Max Barile, Florida Southern
Lewis Beeden, Wingate
Conrad Brown, Western Washington
Reggie Fear, Eckerd
Octavio Laurent, USCB
Bruno Marques, Nova Southeastern
Cooper Tendick, West Florida
Drew Zielinski, Lee
Second Team
Sam Brown, Georgia Southwestern
Nick Canales, Central Oklahoma
Manuel Cue Vargas, Grand Valley State
Harry Dickins, Lincoln Memorial
Sam Jenkins, Dallas Baptist
Bennett McNabb, Lee
Brandon Skidmore, Wingate
Colton Swartz, Florida Southern
Third Team
Gabriel Hull, Emmanuel (GA)
Jordan Jones, Georgia Southwestern
Kongpop Kaikaew, St. Mary's (TX)
Tyler Mistretta, Florida Southern
William Partner, Columbus State
Hunter Smith, North Georgia
Will Tate, UTPB
Bryce Wheeler, Grand Valley State
Honorable Mention
Leo Baudry, UMSL
Seth Bearden, Midwestern State
Baylor Bostick, Central Oklahoma
Lance Christensen Jr., Colorado Christian
Peyton Coahran, Winona State
George Cordall, Lee
Sacha Corlouer, Georgia Southwestern
Mattia D'Errico, Wingate
Marius Dosiere, CSU Pueblo
Naoki Easterday, Chico State
Per Ekelund, West Florida
Paul Esnault, Catawba
Andrew Gwilliams, Grand Valley State
Logan Mayo, UMSL
Anthony Monteleone, Florida Southern
Bradley Mulder, Colorado Christian
Diego Ocasio, St. Thomas Aquinas
CJ Phillips, Central Missouri
Ian Pienaar, Columbus State
Pau Sanchez, Charleston (WV)
Rasmus Seppanen, Gannon
Dani Solavera, UMSL
Dennis Staykov, Harding
Alfie Storer, Wingate
Robert Thompson, Hillsdale
TJ Thompson, West Florida
Noah Wallace, Wilmington (DE)
Archie Wyatt, CSU Pueblo
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