PALM COAST, Fla. – The Wayland Baptist University men's and women's golf teams concluded their appearances at the 2026 NCCAA National Championships with a pair of outstanding runner-up finishes at Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast, Florida, October 19–21.
The Pioneer men finished second following a championship playoff against Ottawa University Arizona (OUAZ), while the Wayland women earned a share of second place, finishing just five strokes behind national champion Bethel University (Ind.).
The three-round national championships featured 11 men's teams and 47 individual competitors, along with 10 women's teams and 34 individual competitors.
Men's Golf – National Runner-Up
Wayland's men's golf team delivered a strong performance throughout the three-day tournament, finishing with a 54-hole team score of 911 (+47) to tie OUAZ atop the leaderboard before falling in a championship playoff.
The Pioneers and OUAZ were evenly matched throughout the tournament, posting identical team scores in all three rounds. Both programs opened with rounds of 304 before following with a 302 in the second round and a 305 in the final round.
With both teams finishing at 911, a playoff was required to determine the national champion, with OUAZ ultimately claiming the team title.
Bethel University (Ind.) finished third at 933 (+69), followed by Northwestern-St. Paul in fourth at 940 (+76) and Asbury University in fifth at 943 (+79).
Individually, August Nord led the Pioneers with a fifth-place finish, carding rounds of 75, 76 and 75 for a three-round total of 226 (+10). Nord's consistent play throughout the championship helped pace Wayland's runner-up performance.
Sacha Brendle followed closely behind, earning a tie for sixth place with a 227 (+11). Brendle opened with a 75 before recording a second-round 74 and closing with a 78.
Enzo Dakiche and Maxime Olivo each finished tied for 10th place at 229 (+13), giving Wayland four golfers inside the top 10 of the individual leaderboard.
Dakiche recorded rounds of 79, 77 and 73, saving his best performance for the final day. His closing-round 73 was the lowest round recorded by a Pioneer during the tournament.
Olivo remained steady throughout the championship, opening with consecutive rounds of 75 before finishing with a 79.
Leonard Lebrun rounded out the Wayland lineup with a 19th-place finish at 239 (+23), posting rounds of 81, 78 and 80.
The Pioneers also demonstrated strong play on the longer holes, leading the team field in par-4 scoring average (4.32) and par-5 scoring average (5.15). Wayland totaled 34 birdies and one eagle during the tournament.
Bob Jones University's DJ Waller claimed the individual national championship following a playoff against OUAZ's Corley McLernon. Both golfers completed the tournament at 222 (+6).
Women's Golf – Tied for National Runner-Up
The Wayland Baptist women's golf team also put together an impressive showing at the NCCAA National Championships, finishing tied for second place with OUAZ at 958 (+94).
The Pioneers opened the tournament with a team score of 311, the lowest opening-round score in the women's field, before posting a 316 in the second round and a 331 in the final round.
Wayland entered the final round with a four-stroke advantage over Bethel University (Ind.), but Bethel closed with a 322 to finish at 953 (+89) and capture the national championship by five strokes.
OUAZ matched Wayland's overall score of 958 (+94) to share second place, while Grace College finished fourth at 972 (+108).
Isabelle Victoria Soh led Wayland's individual performances with a second-place finish, coming within a single stroke of capturing the individual national championship.
Soh opened with consecutive rounds of 75 before closing with an 80 to finish at 230 (+14). She finished just one stroke behind Grace College's Camille Short, who claimed medalist honors at 229 (+13).
Soh recorded five birdies and 34 pars over the three rounds. She also led the entire women's field in par-5 scoring average at 4.83.
Bia Mesquita provided another strong performance for the Pioneers, finishing tied for 10th place at 242 (+26). Mesquita posted rounds of 80, 81 and 81 to secure a top-10 finish.
Ellen Lonergan finished tied for 12th place with a 243 (+27), highlighted by an opening-round 76, the second-lowest opening round among Wayland's women's golfers.
Juanita Villafane followed with a tie for 14th place, recording rounds of 80, 78 and 87 for a total of 245 (+29).
Marissa Armendariz rounded out the Wayland lineup, finishing 24th overall with a three-round score of 258 (+42). Armendariz opened with a 90 before improving to an 82 in the second round and finishing with an 86.
As a team, Wayland led the women's field in par-3 scoring average at 3.40 and recorded 138 pars and 12 birdies during the championships.
The Pioneers placed four individuals among the top 14 finishers, helping secure their share of second place in the national standings.
Both Wayland golf programs concluded the championships with strong team performances, highlighted by their national runner-up finishes and multiple top-10 individual showings.
Wayland Men's Individual Results
Team Finish: 2nd – 911 (+47), lost championship playoff to OUAZ
Wayland Women's Individual Results
Team Finish: T2 – 958 (+94), five strokes behind Bethel (Ind.)
