Tallentire Named 2026 NJCAA Division II Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award presented by StrackaLine Recipient
PLYMOUTH, Ind. -- Connor Tallentire of Murray State (OK) has been named the recipient of the 2026 NJCAA Division II Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award presented by StrackaLine.
Tallentire compiled nine top-10 finishes this season, including seven inside the top five, and three victories. Ranked eighth via Scoreboard Powered by Clippd, the England native grabbed his first collegiate victory as a co-medalist at the Fall Aggie Invitational on September 30 and his first outright win at the Charles Cooper Classic by eight strokes on October 28.
Helping lead the Aggies to victories in their last four tournaments and seven of their last nine, PING All-Central Region selection Tallentire completed 2025-26 on a four-tournament top-five finish streak. A member of Murray State (OK)’s first NJCAA Division II Men’s Golf National Championship team, Tallentire became the first Aggie to win the individual national championship on Friday when he won by one stroke with a one-under 287 (67-70-74-76). He converted 15 birdies on the week, 10 during the first 36 holes, before winning the program’s first NJCAA Division II Arnold Palmer National Individual Champion Award and earning PING First Team All-America honors.
Luca Bianchi of Heartland, Francis Lockwood of Iowa Central, Jayden Owensby of Mississippi Gulf Coast, and Edward Sargeant of Kirkwood joined Tallentire on the GCAA All-Freshman Team.
Previous Recipients
2025 - Jorge Parada, South Mountain
2024 - Dillon Dean, South Mountain
2023 - Will Burnham, Mississippi Gulf Coast
2022 - David Beard, Mississippi Gulf Coast
2021 - Cecil Belisle, South Mountain
2020 - Gabriel Salvanera, South Mountain
2019 - Jonathan Walters, South Mountain
2018 - Brice Wilkinson, Mississippi Gulf Coast
2017 - Alistair Snowdon, Murray State (OK)
2016 - Marco Maldonado, Tyler
2015 - John Souza, South Mountain
2014 - Vinnie Murphy, South Mountain
2013 - Will Twitty, South Mountain
2012 - Jake Argento, South Mountain
2011 - Jimmy Kozikowski, South Mountain
2010 - Filip Timmerman, John A. Logan
About StrackaLine
Since 2007, StrackaLine has been the trusted Greens Guides and Yardage Book supplier to the touring professionals, collegiate teams, and all levels of amateur golf. StrackaLine’s USGA compliant greens guides offer a level of detail and accuracy not available anywhere else for the most precise green reading. The yardage books include complete tee-to-green measurements for every hole. StrackaLine is committed to elevating the overall level of play and lowering scores for golfers all around the world.