NAPA, Calif. – The UConn men’s golf team wrapped up the 2026 Bridgestone Collegiate Invitational with an eighth-place finish among 14 teams.
The Huskies ended the tournament at -5, totaling 859 for three rounds. They were just a stroke behind Eastern Michigan and eight behind Cal Poly. BYU took the top spot, finishing strong at -54 with a score of 810.
In the tournament’s first round, UConn shot 287 (-1). They faced a bit of a challenge in the second round, where they posted 289 (+1). However, they bounced back impressively in the final round, achieving their best score of the event at 283 (-5).
Junior Bradley Sawka from Ellington, CT, stood out for the team, tying for 5th place at -7. He played consistently well, shooting 70 both days before finishing with a 69 in the last round, totaling 209.
Three other Huskies—sophomores Caden Blanchette and Kai-Jun Huang, along with freshman Brennan Korn—finished tied for 30th at -1, each scoring 215.
The lineup also included Matt Costello, who placed 61st with a score of 223 (71-79-73), senior Connor Goode in 67th with 224 (73-77-74), and freshman Matthew Oliveira in 77th at 236 (80-77-79).
Looking ahead, UConn will compete again at the Golfweek Stifel Spring Challenge on April 6-8 in Pawley’s Island, South Carolina.
Insights and Context
Golf Trends: Participation in collegiate golf is increasing, with more over 8,000 student-athletes competing in the NCAA. This gives young players like Sawka and his teammates a valuable platform to showcase their skills.
Expert Opinion: Sports analysts note that mental resilience is key in golf. As Sawka demonstrated, maintaining composure under pressure can significantly impact performance.
Historical Comparison: Looking back to past tournaments, UConn has shown steady improvement, hinting at a developing competitive edge in collegiate golf.
For more information on college golf statistics and trends, visit the NCAA’s official site here.
