Story by NU Athletic Communications
The Nebraska men’s golf team opens its 2026 spring campaign at the Hal Williams Collegiate in the Mobile, Alabama area, Feb. 16-17.
The two-day, 54-hole event gets underway with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. (CT) for two rounds on Monday, Feb. 16, in Semmes, Ala. The teams will compete in Tuesday’s final round beginning with a shotgun start again at 8 a.m. (CT).
The Huskers will be tested by the layout of the Crossings Course at the Robert Trent Jones Magnolia Grove Country Club. The Big Red also will be challenged by a 14-team field that includes Illinois and Kentucky, along with Abilene Christian, Davidson, Eastern Michigan, Louisiana Tech, Memphis, Rice, Southern Illinois, Southern Miss, Texas State, UAB and the hosts from South Alabama.
The Huskers, who also closed the fall portion of their 2025-26 schedule in Alabama, will be hunting for their fourth top-five team finish of the season.
Nebraska, which is ranked No. 67 nationally, captured the team title at the Git-R-Done Invitational at Firethorn Golf Club in Lincoln (Sept. 22-23), after taking fourth at the Bearcat Invitational in Cincinnati (Sept. 15-16). The Huskers added a fifth-place finish at the Purdue Fall Invitational (Oct. 13-14).
Rudy Sautron will play out of the top of the Big Red lineup in Alabama. The junior from Reunion Island, France enters the spring at No. 206 in the most recent Scoreboard individual rankings. Sautron, who tied for sixth at the Steelwood Collegiate in Loxley, Ala., to close the fall, also tied for first with a school-record 200 (-13) at the Git-R-Done Invitational. He owns a team-best 71.00 stroke average over 17 rounds this season.
Jackson Benge will play out of the No. 2 spot to open the spring. The sophomore from Omaha is the second-highest ranked Husker nationally (360th) after posting a 71.47 stroke average over 17 fall rounds. Benge notched four top-25 finishes during the fall and was Nebraska’s No. 1 or No. 2 finisher in five of six fall events.
Caden Mickelson puts three top-400 players in the Husker lineup. The true freshman from Kansas City produced three top-25 finishes during the fall, including a third-place finish with a school freshman record 201 (-12) at the Git-R-Done Invitational. He enters the spring with a 71.38 stroke average over 16 rounds.
Sophomores Brodie Cunningham and James Ackerman round out Nebraska’s five-player lineup in Alabama.
Live updates and scoring for the Hal Williams Collegiate can be found at HuskersGolf on Instagram and X, and Scoreboard.clippd.com. Complete coverage can be found at Huskers.com.
Hal Williams Collegiate
Location: Semmes, Alabama
Host: South Alabama
Course: Robert Trent Jones Magnolia Grove Country Club (Crossings)
Par/Yardage: TBA
Schedule
Monday, Feb. 16 - Rounds 1 & 2 - 8 a.m. CT (shotgun)
Tuesday, Feb. 17 - Round 3 - 8 a.m. CT (shotgun)
Participating Teams (14)
Abilene Christian, Davidson, Eastern Michigan, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana Tech, Memphis, Nebraska, Rice, South Alabama, Southern Illinois, Southernn Miss, Texas State, UAB
Nebraska Lineup (5-count-4)
1. Rudy Sautron, Jr., Reunion Island, France
2. Jackson Benge, So., Omaha, Nebraska
3. Brodie Cunningham, So., Glasgow, Scotland
4. James Ackerman, So., Leawood, Kansas
5. Caden Mickelson, Fr., Kansas City, Missouri
Sautron Owns Top Spot in Pathway to Progression
Nebraska’s Rudy Sautron earned the top spot in the PGA Tour Underclass Elite Ranking (Feb. 11).
The Pathway to Progression Underclass Elite Ranking is a new enhancement within the PGA Tour Development program designed to evaluate and recognize the top emerging collegiate golfers, highlighting a diverse group of elite underclass athletes - predominantly African American players - from across the country. It supports players who are in their freshman, sophomore and junior years.
Sautron has maintained the top spot since the initial ranking was released in November. Argyle Downes (Rutgers), Sascha Robinson (Florida A&M), Roman Solomon (USF) and Jayden Lizama (Gonzaga) round out the top five.
The top player in the final ranking receives an exemption into The Monroe Invitational, an elite summer amateur event in Pittsford, N.Y. The top 15 players earn invitations to participate in the Pathway to Progression Underclass Elite Showcase at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois (July 13-16).
2025-26 Season Bests
Team Total: 823 (-29), Git-R-Done, Sept. 22-23
Team to Par: -29 (823), Git-R-Done, Sept. 22-23
Team Finish: 1st, Git-R-Done, Sept. 22-23, 2025
Individual Finish: T1st - Rudy Sautron, Git-R-Done, Sept. 22-23
Individual Total: 200 (-13) - Rudy Sautron, Git-R-Done, Sept. 22-23
Individual to Par: -13 (200) - Rudy Sautron, Git-R-Done, Sept. 22-23
Individual Round: 64 (-7) - Rudy Sautron, 64, Git-R-Done, 3rd, Sept. 23
Individual Round to Par: -7 (64) - Rudy Sautron, 64, Git-R-Done, 3rd, Sept. 23
Eagles (11):
Brodie Cunningham, No. 18 (Par 5), 3rd, Island Resort, Sept. 1
Jackson Benge, No. 9 (Par 5), 1st, Gopher, Sept. 7
Bryson Oots, No. 14 (Par 4), 1st, Bluejay, Sept. 15
James Ackerman, No. 12 (Par 5), 2nd, Bluejay, Sept. 15
Thomas Bryson, No. 16 (Par 5), 2nd, Bluejay, Sept. 15
Evan McDermott, No. 12 (Par 5), 3rd, Bluejay, Sept. 16
Brodie Cunningham, No. 8 (Par 5), 2nd, Git-R-Done, Sept. 22
Brodie Cunningham, No. 16 (Par 5), 1st, Purdue, Oct. 13
Rudy Sautron, No. 4 (Par 5), 1st, Steelwood, Oct. 25
Rudy Sautron, No. 5 (Par 4), 1st, Steelwood, Oct. 25
Evan McDermott, No. 18 (Par 5), 1st, Steelwood, Oct. 25