Bucs Take Home Top Individual Honors; Finish Second at ACCC Championships

MUSCLE SHOALS - The fifth ranked Shelton State men's golf team earned the top two individual honors on the final day of the 2026 ACCC Championship at Cypress Lakes.

Freshman Reid Larson (Spanish Fort) was named the ACCC Player of Year. B he was the Bucs top finisher in five tournaments this spring, including a first-place finish at the Leehawk Invitational.

Shelton State head coach Chris Sanford was named the 2026 ACCC Coach of the Year after leading the Bucs to their highest ranking since the program was reinstated in 2022.

Shelton State won five tournaments this season, including four this spring.

Unfortunately the Bucs shot a final round 303 (+19) and finished second in the tournament.

"It was a very trying day for the team," Sanford said. "To play well in both rounds Monday and have a nice lead going in to today, and just not play anywhere near our capabilities, was surprising and quite disappointing.  

They kept fighting, but could just never get some putts to go in and make birdies."

No. 21 Wallace Dothan shot a one-over 285 to capture the ACCC Championship by six shots over the Bucs.

The Govs Trenton Ables won the individual championship at 6 under par over the three rounds.

"Give credit to Wallace Dothan, they played very well in windy conditions," Sanford added. "We just made too many mistakes, and they took home the trophy."

No. 9 Jefferson State (+22), No. 34 Lurleen B. Wallace (+31), and No. 10 Calhoun (+33) rounds out the Top 5.

Freshman Cooper Layton (Brantley) finished second with an even par 213 score. He shot 74 in the final round on Tuesday.

Layton was named to the 2026 ACCC All-Tournament Team.

Sophomore Will Norton (Covington, Ga.) and freshman Dane Galiano (LaPlace, La.) were plus-five and tied for seventh. Norton shot 78 in the final round, while Galiano shot 79.

Larson finished 16th with a nine-over par 222. He shot a four-over 75 on Tuesday.

Sophomore Wyatt McDonald (Kansas City, Kansas) was 11-over and finished 24th overall. He shot 76 in the final round. 

"The guys are really upset and disappointed, but I am looking forward to seeing if we learned something and come back for districts in two weeks," Sanford said. 

The Bucs will head to the South District 8 Championships April 19-21 at Cider Ridge Golf Course in Oxford, Ala.

The top two finishers advance to the NJCAA National Championship Tournament.