Men's Golf | 6/8/2026 3:35:00 PM
GREENSBORO – North Carolina A&T men's golf completed its best season since the program started in 2017, and the Black College Golf Coaches Association (BCGGCA) and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) rewarded the Aggies with numerous postseason honors.
The BCGGCA and GCAA named
Emilio Hernandez HBCU Outstanding Freshman, and he was also named to the HBCU All-Freshman Team. Meanwhile, sophomore teammate
Ignacio Zapata secured HBCU All-American accolades after making a surge on the course toward the end of the 2025-26 season.
Hernandez got off to a great start in his career. Hernandez won the SAS HBCU Championship in his first career tournament. Hernandez shot a 5-under (65-70-70) 205 to win the tournament. At the time, Hernandez's 65 in Round 1 tied the program for the lowest score in a round. He won the tournament by three strokes over North Carolina Central University's Jamal Hutchinson.
Hernandez played in eight tournaments during the season. Over 23 rounds, he posted an average score of 73. He had four rounds under par and three others at even par. He finished 26th at the 2026 Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Golf Championships, and he finished in a tie for 18th at the PGA Works Collegiate Championships.
Meanwhile, Zapata got on a hot streak during the spring, helping the Aggies win another tournament. He had three top 5 finishes in the spring, including a victory at Appalachian State's Irish Creek Collegiate, April 6-7. There, Zapata shot a 5-under (70-71-67) 208 to win the event over Catawba's Paul Ensauly.
It was his first career win and the fourth tournament win of the season for the Aggies.
Zapata was rewarded for his efforts when the CAA named him men's golfer of the week. His terrific play continued into the CAA championships, where he finished fourth. That marked the highest CAA finish for an A&T men's golfer and the second-highest in program history at a conference championship.
Zapata played in eight tournaments during the season. Over 23 rounds, he had an average score of 72.3. He had six rounds under par and three other rounds he shot even par.
Overall, under first-year director of golf
Mesha Levister, the Aggies won four tournaments, each by a different golfer. They were also awarded three weekly honors, each won by a different individual.
