Eagles Golf Finishes Top 10 at NJCAA DII National Championship

Five MCC Eagles golfers pose together and smile for the camera during the 2025 NJCAA Championship.

May 27, 2025

PLYMOUTH, Ind. – The Meridian Community College men's golf team capped off an outstanding season with a top-10 finish at the NJCAA Division II National Championship, held May 20-23 at Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, Indiana.

The five-man squad—Bruce McClung, Jace Duckworth, Dax Reaux, Maddox Atkinson, and Collin Russell—competed over four challenging days of competition with Ayers Mathis serving as the team's alternate. Entering the tournament ranked No. 7 nationally in both the NJCAA DII Rankings and the Bushnell/Golfweek NJCAA DII Coaches Poll, the Eagles were prepared to take on the nation's best under the leadership of Head Coach Lance Strickland.

Day one brought rain, wind, and cold temperatures, along with course delays. Despite the tough conditions, the Eagles posted a team score of 18 over par to end the day in 12th place. McClung led the charge with a solid round, finishing just 1 over par.

The weather didn't let up for day two, but the Eagles battled through wet conditions and climbed the leaderboard. With an early 6 a.m. tee time, the team made up ground to move into 7th place at 33 over par after two days. McClung remained the team leader, shooting 4 over through 36 holes.

Day three featured the week's best weather, but proved to be the toughest for the Eagles. They dropped to 10th place after shooting a combined 60 over par across the first three rounds. McClung stood at 9 over par individually, still pacing the team despite slipping in the standings.

The final round was delayed by frost but saw the Eagles finish strong. With a 10:30 a.m. start, they closed out the championship tied for 9th place overall, finishing with a total team score of 79 over par across the four-day tournament.

McClung finished 21st on the individual leaderboard with a four-day total of 13 over par.

Mississippi Gulf Coast, the No. 1 team in the country and fellow MACCC competitor, claimed the national title.

Coach Strickland expressed pride in his team's performance. "This team showed heart all year and represented Meridian on the national stage. Competing against the best in the country, in tough conditions, and coming away with a top-10 finish is something to be proud of."

This strong finish wraps another successful season for the Eagles golf program and solidifies their place among the top teams in the nation.