ACADEMIC NATIONAL CHAMPIONS | Hawks named GCAA PLATFORM Golf Div. I and HBCU Academic National Champions
PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland | The academic accolades for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore golf program have continued to accumlate, culminating with Tuesday's announcement that UMES has been named the NCAA Div. I and HBCU Academic National Champions by the GCAA. In addition to the academic national championship. the University of Maryland Eastern Shore earned an Cobalt Golf NCAA All-America Scholar selected in sophomore
Max Osten while six UMES golfers earned academic recognition from the Northeast Athletic Conference. The student-athlete recognition for UMES golf comes after a combined cumulative team GPA of 4.0 during the Spring semester.
The Hawks, who earned the academic titles for having the best team GPA of any school in Div. I program and HBCU program, were joined by Virginia State (NCAA Division II), Bowdoin (NCAA Division III), Texas A&M-San Antonio (NAIA), Iowa Western (NJCAA Division I), and Kirkwood (NJCAA Division II).
A GCAA-record 331 schools across six divisions earned a PLATFORM Golf Team Academic Award. 155 schools received Presidents Special Recognition for having an average team GPA of 3.5 or above in 2025-26.
After a successful 2025-2026 season in which the Hawks thrived academically while earning a fifth place finish in the NEC Championships and qualifying for the PGAWorks Collegiate Championship, UMES looks forward to a new season which begins on Saturday, September 19 at the U.S. Naval Academy Invitational held in Annapolis, Maryland.
About PLATFORM Golf
PLATFORM Golf is transforming the future of golf through immersive, performance driven technology that brings real world slope, lie, and putting conditions into the golf simulator experience. Its patented solutions, TrueBreak™, TruePR™, and the market defining TrueSlope™, are trusted by top coaches, elite programs, private clubs, and performance centers worldwide. As both a category leader and technology enabler, PLATFORM Golf partners with golf's best instructors and most innovative brands, including a recent partnership with Trackman, to elevate training, coaching, and competitive play across every level of the game. Learn more at platformgolf.com.
About GCAA
Established in 1958, the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) is the professional organization of men's collegiate golf coaches. The GCAA's mission is to support its member coaches from six divisions, including the NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA, by creating educational opportunities, providing resources, and promoting its members with the purpose of enhancing their overall performance as coaches, mentors, and teachers. The GCAA also recognizes the excellence and achievements of its members and their student-athletes in academic, athletic, and civic endeavors. For more information, please visit www.gcaa.coach.
