JONESBORO, Ark. (5/5/26) – Arkansas State’s Thomas Schmidt was named the Sun Belt Conference Golfer of the Year, head coach Mike Hagen was chosen the league’s Coach of the Year, and Jake Wallis and Milan Reed joined Schmidt on the All-Conference Teams as announced by the league office Tuesday.  

With the selection, Schmidt becomes the first player in conference history to earn Golfer of the Year honors in three consecutive seasons. A First Team All-Conference pick for the third consecutive season, Schmidt joins Zan Luka Stirn as the only players in program history to be First Team All-Conference in three seasons. Schmidt, Stirn and David Faught are the only three players in program history to be recognized on the all-conference teams four times in their respective careers.

Schmidt’s recognition marks the fourth time in the last six seasons A-State has produced the Golfer of the Year. With its three all-conference selections this season, A-State has totaled 29 selections in head coach Mike Hagen‘s tenure (since 2016), second-most in the league.

Hagen led A-State to a top-50 ranking nationally, tops in the Sun Belt Conference, and a single season program record 281.73 stroke average (70.43). The Red Wolves earned the Sun Belt Conference title Thursday, their second over the last three seasons and league-high third in the match play format. A-State won four event titles, third-most in single season program history, and was runner-up in three other events for an average finish this season of 2.7 finishing fourth or better in nine of 10 events. The Red Wolves posted three of the top five low rounds in program history including a program record 264 in the Bubba Barnett Intercollegiate. A-State has totaled 576 birdies so far this season, six short of the single season program record while setting a program record with 25 eagles. 

Schmidt continued his record-setting career with a program record and Sun Belt Conference leading 69.10 scoring average. Schmidt won three events to be among eight players nationally with three or more wins on the season. Schmidt added three more finishes inside the top 10, including a pair or runner-up finishes. Over 10 events played, he finished the year with an average finish of 8.2 with his lowest finish a tie for 29th. Schmidt produced 24 of 30 rounds under par on the season, including 15 in the 60s. He won the Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational at 22-under par and claimed back-to-back wins in the Cowboy Classic (-13) and A-State Spring Invitational (-6) to close out the regular season. He finished the Sun Belt Conference Championship in a tie for third individually. 

Wallis followed up his impressive freshman campaign with a stellar sophomore season to earn First Team All-Conference recognition. His match was the decisive victory in the match play championship as the Red Wolves claimed the league title. He tied for the team lead with 24 rounds of par or better and finished the year with a 70.27 stroke average, second-best in single-season program history. Wallis finished inside the top 25 in all 10 events, claiming top five finishes in four events, including medalist honors at the Saint Mary’s Invitational. He produced 12 rounds in the 60s, including a pair at the Sun Belt Conference Championship. He finished tied for third individually at the SBC Championship leading the Red Wolves to the match play portion. 

Reed, a Third Team All-Conference pick, posted a scoring average of 71.43 to rank third on the team and eighth-best in single season program history. He rolled in a lengthy putt on the 18th hole in the match play final to clinch a key victory as the Red Wolves earned the conference title. Reed had five top 20 finishes on the season, including his first career win in the Bubba Barnett Intercollegiate. Reed tied for 18th at the Sun Belt Conference Championship at 3-over par 219. Reed totaled 19 of 30 rounds par or better. 

Sun Belt Conference champions for the second time in the last three seasons, A-State earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals after defeating Southern Miss and Coastal Carolina to cap off the four-day league tournament at Annandale Golf Club.

A-State, ranked 44th in the latest national rankings, finds out its NCAA Regional destination on Wednesday. A selection show watch party will take place at The Social (1004 Chancery Ln) in Jonesboro with the show airing at 1 p.m. (CT) on the Golf Channel. The Red Wolves are poised for its eighth appearance in the NCAA Regionals as a team, first since 2024 and fourth under head coach Mike Hagen.

2025-26 Sun Belt Conference Golf Postseason Awards
Golfer of the Year
Thomas Schmidt, Arkansas State
 
Freshman of the Year
Jake Moffitt, Southern Miss

Newcomer of the Year
Morgan Blythe, Georgia Southern
 
Coach of the Year
Mike Hagen, Arkansas State

First Team All-Conference 
Max Bengtsson, Coastal Carolina
Morgan Blythe, Georgia Southern
Malan Potgieter, Louisiana
Thomas Schmidt, Arkansas State
Hugo Thyr, South Alabama
Jake Wallis, Arkansas State
 
Second Team All-Conference 
Parker Claxton, Georgia Southern
Benjamin Fernandez, Southern Miss
Thomas Horne, Georgia Southern
Jack Lee, Coastal Carolina
Jake Moffitt, Southern Miss
Drew Sykes, Coastal Carolina
 
Third Team All-Conference 
Pablo Garcia, Troy
Matthew Javier, Southern Miss
Connor MacMillan, Georgia State
Milan Reed, Arkansas State
Sakke Siltala, Texas State
Vaclav Tichy, James Madison