The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Men’s Golf’s Bennett named to Fred Haskins Award Preseason Watch List
08.27.2026 | Men's Golf
Junior Daniel Bennett is one of 25 players named to preseason list for nation’s top collegiate men’s golfer.
COLUMBUS, Ga. — University of Texas Men's Golf junior Daniel Bennett has been named to the Fred Haskins Award presented by Stifel Preseason Watch List, the Haskins Foundation through its media partners Golfweek, Golf Channel, and The Back of the Range announced Thursday. Bennett is one of 25 players named to the preseason watch list for the annual award which honors the top men's collegiate golfer.
A two-time All-American while at Texas, Bennett was a second-team All-SEC selection and PING All-Central Region Team choice as a sophomore in 2026. He played in 12 of UT's 14 events last season and posted a 70.46 stroke average through 37 rounds while recording a pair of runner-up efforts and a total of four top-eight individual finishes. Twenty-four of his 37 rounds last year were par or better, including 15 in the 60s. Bennett competed for the winning Team International squad at the 2026 Arnold Palmer Cup earlier this summer (July 3-5) in Ireland, marking the second straight summer that he has played on the winning team at the Arnold Palmer Cup. He also advanced to the Round of 16 at the 2026 Western Amateur.
During his freshman season in 2025, Bennett claimed the Division I Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award by StrackaLine which honors the National Freshman of the Year. He was a Division I PING first-team All-America choice and a second-team All-America pick by Golfweek. Bennett was the 2025 SEC Freshman of the Year and earned first-team All-SEC and SEC All-Freshman Team recognition in addition to being named to the PING All-Central Region Team. He registered a team-best 70.00 scoring average and boasted a pair of individual runner-up finishes, four top-three showings, five top-10 performances and placed in the top-16 in eight of his 11 stroke-play events in 2025.
Celebrating its 57th year, the Fred Haskins Award presented by Stifel has been given to players who have captured 33 major championships and more than 400 professional tournament titles around the world. The Fred Haskins Award is the oldest individual college golf award and the only award to be voted on by players, coaches, golf SID's and select golf media.
Stifel, one of the nation's leading wealth management and investment banking firms, serves as the presenting sponsor of both the ANNIKA and Haskins Awards, recognizing annually the most outstanding NCAA Division I female and male college golfers. Stifel also serves as a presenting sponsor for the NCAA Division I Women's and Men's Golf Championships on Golf Channel.
Fred Haskins Award Preseason Watch List (listed alphabetically)
|
Player |
School |
|
Kihei Akina |
BYU |
|
TEXAS |
|
|
Carson Bertagnole |
North Carolina |
|
Adam Bresnu |
Texas Tech |
|
Ryder Cowan |
Oklahoma |
|
Josiah Gilbert |
Auburn |
|
Max Herendeen |
Illinois |
|
William Jennings |
Alabama |
|
Eric Lee |
Oklahoma State |
|
Jay Leng Jr. |
Stanford |
|
Tyler Mawhinney |
Vanderbilt |
|
Jacob Modleski |
Notre Dame |
|
Luke Poulter |
Florida |
|
Logan Reilly |
Auburn |
|
Niall Shiels Donegan |
North Carolina |
|
Preston Stout |
Oklahoma State |
|
Zachary Swanwick |
Florida |
|
Harry Takis |
San Diego State |
|
Jack Turner |
Florida |
|
William Walsh |
Pepperdine |
|
Tyler Watts |
Tennessee |
|
Tyler Weaver |
Florida State |
|
Tim Wiedemeyer |
Texas Tech |
|
Connor Williams |
Arizona State |
