JONESBORO, Ark. (4/29/24) – Arkansas State men’s golf sophomore Thomas Schmidt was named the Sun Belt Conference Golfer of the Year and head coach Mike Hagen was named Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year, the league office announced Monday.

Schmidt is the second Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year in program history joining Julien Sale (2021). Hagen was named Coach of the Year for the second time in his tenure with A-State after also earning the honor during the 2015-16 season.

A First Team All-Sun Belt selection, Schmidt led A-State to the 2024 Sun Belt Conference title. He was among the top players in the league with a single-season program best stroke average of 70.97. In 30 rounds played, he finished 22-under par posting three eagles, 114 birdies and 339 pars among his 2,129 strokes. Schmidt finished runner-up individually in stroke play at the conference championship by way of a sudden death playoff, but won a match play playoff the next day to secure the conference title. He finished inside the top 40 in all 10 events played, finishing inside the top 15 in seven events, including a top five in four.

Hagen led Arkansas State to its second conference title over the last five seasons. With the 2024 title, the Red Wolves became the first team to win multiple Sun Belt Conference titles since the match play format began (2016). A-State led wire-to-wire at the Sun Belt Conference Championship at Annandale, winning SBC stroke play for the first time in program history. All six players that made the trip to Jackson, Miss., for the championship made an impact with Schmidt finishing as individual runner-up and winner of two matches in the match play portion, including winning the playoff on the 20th hole to clinch the championship. Five total golfers won matches during match play and a true-freshman, Jake Lile, finished in the top five during stroke play. With the Sun Belt Conference title and a win at the annual Bubba Barnett Intercollegiate, Hagen has 22 tournament titles in his tenure at Arkansas State.

A-State will learn its regional destination during the NCAA championship selection show watch party Wednesday, May 1, at 1 p.m. at The Social. The NCAA selection show airs live on the GOLF Channel.  

2024 Sun Belt Conference Men’s Golf Awards
Golfer of the Year: Thomas Schmidt, Arkansas State
Freshman of the Year: Brycen Jones, Georgia Southern
Newcomer of the Year: Reece Coleman, Georgia Southern
Coach of the Year: Mike Hagen, Arkansas State

All-Sun Belt Conference Third Team
Addison Beam, App State
Parker Claxton, Georgia Southern
Gareth Steyn, Georgia State
Maian Potgieter, Louisiana
Robbie Latter, Southern Miss
Jack Burke, Texas State
Marcelo Garza, Texas State