The Shadow
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Graduate student Paul Chang and senior Ben James were announced as two of the 10 finalists for the 2026 Fred Haskins Award, presented by Stifel on Friday (May 22). Virginia is the only school in the country with two finalists for one of college golf’s top honors.
The Haskins Award is annually given to the top male U.S. collegiate D1 golfer as voted on by players, coaches, members of the college golf media and past Haskins Award winners. All finalists received an invitation to Haskins Honors which will be held at Grand Blanc Maison in San Diego, Calif. on Wednesday, May 27th, ahead of the 2026 NCAA Championships. This special evening will be hosted by the Haskins Foundation, The Back of the Range, the College World Golf Championships Foundation, and the 1971-73 Haskins Award winner, Ben Crenshaw.
James is one of 11 college golfers ever to be named a finalist for the Haskins Award three times (2023, 2025, 2026). It marks the 11thtime in the award’s 56-year history that multiple finalists have come from one school.
2025-2026 Haskins Award Finalists (listed alphabetically)
Kihei Akina, BYU
Paul Chang, Virginia
Mahanth Chirravuri, Pepperdine
Ryder Cowan, Oklahoma
Tom Fischer, Ole Miss
Ben James, Virginia
William Jennings, Alabama
Jackson Koivun, Auburn
Christiaan Maas, Texas
Preston Stout, Oklahoma State
James is fresh off the best NCAA Regional performance in the D-I college golf history. He claimed his second NCAA Regional individual title of his career after posting a 194 (66-63-65), breaking his own NCAA record for the lowest 54-hole score ever at an NCAA Regional. According to CollegeGolfData.com, he is the 13th college golfer ever to win multiple NCAA Regionals (2023 Las Vegas Regional & 2026 Winston-Salem Regional). James has placed in the top five of all 10 tournaments he’s played in and has two wins to his credit – The Ben Hogan Collegiate Invitational and the NCAA Winston-Salem Regional.
Chang has been one of the hottest golfers in college golf coming down the stretch. He claimed back-to-back victories at the Calusa Cup (April 6-8) and UVA’S home tournament, the Lewis Chitengwa Memorial (April 13-14). He became the first UVA golfer ever to win consecutive tournaments and was named ACC Golfer of the Month for April. Chang was pivotal in UVA’s second-straight ACC Championship last month in Panama City, going 3-0 in match play. At the NCAA Winston-Salem Regional he fired three-straight 68s for a T-5 finish. He has a career-best, six top 10 finishes in 11 starts this season.
Multiple Haskins Award Finalists in the Same Year (11)
Virginia (2026)
Auburn (2025)
Vanderbilt (2024)
Oklahoma State (2019)
Texas (2012)
Oklahoma State (2006)
Georgia Tech (1998)
Oklahoma State (1995)
North Carolina (1994)
Texas (1972)
Wake Forest (1971)
Three-Time Haskins Award Finalists (11)
Alan Bratton, Oklahoma State (1994, 1995, 1997)
Ben Crenshaw, Texas (1971, 1972, 1973)
Todd Dempsey, Arizona State (1993, 1994, 1997)
Luke Donald, Northwestern (1999*, 2001, 2001)
David Duval, Georgia Tech (1991, 1992, 1993*)
Ben James, Virginia (2023, 2025, 2026)
Jackson Koivun, Auburn (2024*, 2025, 2026)
Phil Mickelson, Arizona State (1989, 1990*, 1991*, 1992*)
Bryce Molder (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001*)
Sam Randolph (1984, 1985*, 1986)
Scott Verplank, Oklahoma State (1984, 1985, 1986*)
*Indicates won Haskins Award
