Blue Raiders Advance to Match Play at CUSA Championship

Wednesday, April 29

Texarkana, Ark.

Middle Tennessee

Conference USA Championship

4/29/2026 6:21:00 PM | Men's Golf

TEXARKANA, Ark. — Middle Tennessee men's golf closed the final round with a 10-under-par 278 to finish tied for third in the stroke-play portion of the Conference USA Championship at Texarkana Country Club. With a top-four finish, the Blue Raiders advance to match play and will face UTEP in the 1 vs. 4 semifinal matchup.

The Blue Raiders turned in one of the day's best rounds with a 10-under 278 to finish tied for third with Liberty at 17-under 847. UTEP finished first at 31-under 833, while NM State placed second at 29-under 835.

Carter Maneth led the charge with another 5-under 67 in the final round. Oliver Baker posted a 3-under 69, Jake Hopper fired a 2-under 70, and Connor Henry shot even-par 72 to round out the counting scores.

With his top-five finish, Maneth was named to the 2026 CUSA All-Tournament Team.

Fourth-seeded Middle Tennessee is set to take on top-seeded UTEP in the semifinals of the CUSA Championship on Thursday, April 30, at 8 a.m. The championship match will follow at 1 p.m. Both semifinal matches and the championship will be streamed on ESPN+.

The Lineup
• Carter Maneth finished tied for 5th at 8-under (74-67-67—208).
• Connor Henry is tied for 10th at 6-under (71-67-72—210).
• Jake Hopper is tied for 11th at 4-under (70-72-70—212).
• Oliver Baker is tied for 32nd at 1-over (76-72-69—217).
• Owen Queener subbed in for Maddox Crowder. He fired a 1-over 73 in the final round.
• Crowder was tied for 48th at 10-over (78-74—152) before the substituion.

Coach's Comments: Mark McEntire
"We had an outstanding day," said Head Coach Mark McEntire. "Carter Maneth led the way with a tremendous performance. I'm really proud of how the guys stepped up when it mattered most and earned a spot in match play. It's been a strong spring for this group, and we're excited for the opportunity to compete for a championship tomorrow."

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