BOARDMAN, Ohio - The Bethany College men's golf team competed in the final round of the 2025-26 Presidents' Athletic Conference Men's Golf Championships at Mill Creek Golf Course. 

The Bison closed out the 2025-26 season with another improved round of 311 (+31) to finish the PAC Championships ranked eighth with a team score of 1291 (+155): just six strokes back of Waynesburg (Pa.) University's 1285 (+149) score. Allegheny (Pa.) College earned its third straight PAC title with a team score of 1203 (+67) and wins the league's automatic-qualifying bids to the NCAA Division III Championships on May 19-22 at Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert, California.

Junior Jude Smith (Weirton, W.Va./Weir) earned his second straight All-PAC second-team selection and the third all-conference honor of his career after finishing the tournament at seventh with a score of 302 (+18). On Day 4, he fired another 75 (+5) that included an even 35 on the back half with one birdie and pars on 13 of his 18 holes. Smith's full PAC Championships performance landed him third among the field in birdies with 12 while he also led the team with 36 pars.  

Junior Payton Hildebrand (Wellsburg, W.Va./Wheeling Central Catholic) kept the Green and White in the race once again this time carding an 80 (+10) with 11 pars. His score after all four rounds comes out to 326 (+42) to place him 26th as he finished with 35 pars and three birdies. 

Freshman Jacob Bursey (Winchester, Va./James Wood) built off his third-round performance and finished with a 79 (+9) bringing his total to 332 (+48) which landed him in 29th place. He notched nine pars and a birdie in the final round adding up to 28 and three, respectively, through all four rounds. After the tournament, Bursey was named to the 2025-26 PAC Men's Golf Sportsmanship Team.

Sophomore Nash Hays (Heath, Ohio) recorded the Bison's second-best score of the day with a 77 (+7) that included seven pars and three birdies. Though he only played two rounds for the Green and White, he finished with 14 pars and three birdies for a score of 163 (+23). 

Junior Samuel Phillips (Charleston, W.Va./Herbert Hoover) ended the Championships with his best day after scoring an 87 (+17) to bring his total to 361 (+77). In the Spring finale, he finished with four pars and a birdie amounting to 19 pars and two birdies in the tournament.