HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, Fla. --- Aurora University posted a 72-hole total of 1,143 to place third overall at the 2026 NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championships at Mission Inn Resort.

Sitting seventh overall after posting a 4-over 288 on the par-71 Las Colinas course in a weather-delayed first round, the Spartans switched over to the par-72 El Campeon course and fired a 3-over 291 team total. Aurora's two-day total of 579 ranked eighth overall, safely inside the top 18 teams to make the 36-hole cut.

Thursday's third round was certainly moving day for the Spartans, who fired a 5-under 283 to match University of Mary Hardin-Baylor for the low round of the day. Aurora concluded the round tied for fourth overall headed into the championship's final 18 holes.

In Friday's final round, Aurora posted yet another impressive score with a 7-under 281 - the fourth-best round of the day - to move into third place as the lead groups finished around them.

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (284-288-290-273--1,135) made a final-round charge, posting a championship-low 18-hole team total of 273 on the final day to erase a 7-stroke deficit to Illinois Wesleyan University (288-279-288-280--1,135) and force a sudden-death team playoff, where the Stags emerged victorious.

The Stags' charge was made more impressive by the fact that Illinois Wesleyan posted a 280 team total Friday - the second-best total of the day.

Sewanee matched Illinois Wesleyan's 280 total Friday and moved up six spots to fourth, but still finished nine shots back of Aurora.

Individually for the Spartans, Caleb Negley had perhaps the most consistent week. He opened with three birdies en route to an opening-round even-par 71 Tuesday, then shot rounds of 73 and 70 before finishing with five birdies en route to a 4-under 68. Negley finished tied for seventh overall with a 4-under 283 total.

Mattias Morris tied for 24th with a 1-over 288 total after rounds of 71-75-69-73. He had four birdies in his opening round, then added an eagle and three birdies in Thursday's third round.

Brandon Burggraf was one shot back of Morris, tied for 27th with a 2-over 289 total. He opened with a 1-over 72 Tuesday, then struggled on the front nine of Wednesday's second round en route to a 3-over 75 before carding back-to-back 1-under 71s to close out his championship. Burggraf had 14 birdies over his final 46 holes.

Jackson Hulsey also tied for 27th at 2-over 289. He opened his championships with a 3-over 74 on the Las Colinas course Tuesday before carding a bogey-free 3-under 69 in his first turn on the El Campeon course Wednesday. Hulsey managed two birdies but struggled to a 5-over 77 in Thursday's third round before closing five birdies as part of a final-round 69 Friday.

Christian Wakeford finished tied for 67th of the 96 golfers who made the 36-hole cut, finishing at 12-over 299 (73-74-73-79).

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps' Sebi Aliaga (72-71-67-67--277) captured medalist honors by one stroke over Washington and Lee University's Jonathan McEwen (71-70-68-69--278).