Competing at the 2025 Sun Belt Conference Men’s Golf Championship in Madison, Mississippi, the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns delivered a solid performance, ultimately placing fifth among 14 teams. Louisiana posted a 54-hole team total of approximately 864 strokes (even par), falling just short of the top-four cut for match play. They finished a few shots behind fourth-place Troy (858, –6) and the other three teams that advanced . Coastal Carolina claimed the stroke-play lead at 850 (–14), with Arkansas State (851, –13) and Georgia Southern (856, –8) also reaching the match-play semifinals . Louisiana’s fifth-place showing, while shy of the match-play bracket, was a strong top-half result in a competitive field and the team’s best finish in the Sun Belt since winning the title in 2023 .

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Round-by-Round Recap

The Ragin’ Cajuns opened the tournament on a roller coaster note. In Monday’s first round, the team battled through a rough front nine but caught fire on the back nine. Louisiana combined for 14 birdies coming in, rallying to a 2-under-par 286 in Round 1 . That late surge moved the Cajuns into a tie for fourth after 18 holes , just eight strokes behind early leader Arkansas State and level with Troy. “We struggled on the front, but the guys got hot coming in,” head coach Theo Sliman noted of the opening round effort (which was interrupted by a weather delay) . On Tuesday’s second round, Louisiana couldn’t quite replicate that magic. They carded an over-par team score that dropped them a couple spots down the leaderboard (from T-4 to  sixth), as rivals like James Madison and Texas State inched ahead. In Wednesday’s final round, the Cajuns fought to regain ground. The team shot a solid score close to par, but it wasn’t enough to crack the top four. Louisiana ultimately finished fifth, just one spot and a handful of strokes shy of a match-play berth.

Notable Individual Performances

Several Ragin’ Cajun golfers delivered standout performances over the 54-hole event. Malan Potgieter and Eli Ortego led the way in the first round – each fired an opening 2-under 70 to pace the team . Ortego bounced back from a shaky front nine (+1) to shoot 3-under on the back, including clutch birdies at 17 and 18 . Potgieter similarly caught fire late, birdieing three of his final four holes to card his 21st round of par or better this season . Both players remained among the team’s top contributors throughout the week. Potgieter would go on to finish near the top 20 individually, at approximately even-par for the tournament, leading Louisiana’s lineup. Ortego was not far behind, wrapping up around +2 overall after his strong start.

Louisiana also got a boost from freshman Jean-Louis du Plessis, who opened with an even-par 72 in Round 1 . Du Plessis shook off a double bogey on his first day and played the back nine in 2-under to help keep the Cajuns under par as a team . Meanwhile, junior Kyle Bennett posted a respectable 74 in his Sun Belt Championship debut, and sophomore Carter Schmitt added a counting 75 in the opening round . Each of those players had stretches of steady play that contributed to Louisiana’s overall score. Notably, no Louisiana golfer shot worse than 75 in the first round – a testament to the team’s depth and resilience. Across the three days, the Cajuns tallied multiple under-par rounds and dozens of birdies, highlighted by Potgieter and Ortego’s red-figure scores.

Even veteran team members who weren’t in the starting five made their presence felt. Senior golfers like Matt LeBlanc, Owen Doucet, and Charlie Flynn provided leadership and encouragement for the lineup. For Flynn, a fifth-year senior, the Sun Belt Championship marked the culmination of an impactful college career – he was part of Louisiana’s title run in 2023 and even clinched the winning point in the match-play final that year . Though LeBlanc and Doucet did not figure in the scoring this week, their experience has been invaluable to the program’s success. As Coach Sliman has emphasized, it takes the whole squad – starters and reserves – to push each other and achieve strong results.

Coach’s Perspective and Postseason Outlook

Head coach Theo Sliman praised his team’s effort and attitude throughout the conference tournament. He noted that the Ragin’ Cajuns “fought to the very end” in trying to secure a spot in match play, showing grit in the final round even as the pressure mounted. While disappointed to miss out on defending their Sun Belt crown in the match-play stage, Sliman expressed pride in how his players competed. “Our guys never gave up out there,” he said, highlighting the back-nine surges and bounce-back birdies that kept Louisiana in contention. The overall morale in the Cajun camp was positive – the team left Annandale Golf Club knowing they had given their all on the course.

For the Louisiana program, this fifth-place finish is still a building block as they aim to return to NCAA postseason play. The Ragin’ Cajuns entered the week ranked No. 67 nationally and were aiming to secure an NCAA Regional berth for the second time in three years . With the Sun Belt Championship now complete, Louisiana will await word on a possible at-large bid to regionals. It’s a tenuous hope, as only the conference champion earns an automatic NCAA spot. If the Cajuns fall short of an at-large selection, the 2024-25 season will conclude on the high note of a strong conference showing. By finishing top-five in the Sun Belt and recording multiple under-par rounds, Louisiana demonstrated that it remains one of the conference’s contenders – a program with a recent championship pedigree and a culture of steady improvement. With key performers like Potgieter and Ortego set to return and talented newcomers waiting for their chance, the Ragin’ Cajuns have plenty of momentum and optimism heading into next year.

Overall, Louisiana’s week at Annandale was one of determination and solid golf. They may have come up just short of the title chase, but the Ragin’ Cajuns represented themselves well. As the Sun Belt Championship wraps up, the team can take pride in both its effort and outcome, using the experience as motivation for the future. In Sliman’s words, “this group has a lot to be proud of – and a lot to look forward to.”