LATROBE, Pa. - The Bethany College men's golf team opened the 2025-26 season at the Saint Vincent (Pa.) College Golf Invitational where the team finished seventh out of nine teams at the Latrobe Country Club.

The Bison traveled five players and the top four shot a combined score of 336 on the course placing them at seventh in the team standings. The University of Pittsburgh-Bradford (Pa.) won the field with a score of 308 and four top-10 finishers. As a team, Bethany notched 34 pars and six birdies while averaging 4.05 on Par 3 holes, 4.76 on Par 4s, and 5.65 on Par 5s.

The Bison were led by All-Presidents' Athletic Conference junior Jude Smith (Weirton, W.Va./Weir) who tied for sixth out of 54 with a score of 76 including shooting just one over on the back nine. Smith led for most of the round and was seventh in the Invitational with pars on 11 out of 18 holes and added two birdies. He averaged an even five strokes per Par 5 hole while hitting 3.25 on Par 3s and 4.30 on Par 4s.

Junior Payton Hildebrand (Wellsburg, W.Va./Wheeling Central Catholic) also had a solid day carding an 81 and tying for 14th overall. He led the team and was fifth among the field in birdies with three and added six pars. Hildebrand also averaged 4.4 strokes on Par 4 holes, which was tenth among all players, and 5.5 on Par 5s.

Junior Samuel Phillips (Charleston, W.Va./Herbert Hoover) shot an 87 to tie for 32nd and averaged 3.5 on Par 3s and 5.5 on Par 5s with seven pars. He also added seven pars on the day.

Graduate Troy Hixson (Grove City, Ohio/Bishop Ready) rounded out the team score with a round of 92. He had one birdie and five pars including an even five strokes on Par 5 holes. Sophomore Nash Hays (Heath, Ohio) also teed off for the Bison as he shot a 96 with five pars.

The Bison are back in action on Friday, September 19 as they travel to New Philadelphia, Ohio to take on Kent State University-Tuscarawas (Ohio) at 10 a.m. at the Oak Shadows Golf Club.