Plymouth, Indiana - The Highland Community College men's golf team has once again earned its place among the nation's elite as the Cougars prepare to compete in the 2026 NJCAA Division II Men's Golf National Championship at beautiful Swan Lake Resort from May 19–22.

Highland arrived on property at Swan Lake Resort on Sunday and completed its first of two official practice rounds as the team continued preparations for the national championship. The Cougars returned to the course for their second practice round on Monday, May 18, continuing to build familiarity and confidence ahead of tournament play.

The Cougars secured an automatic berth to the NJCAA Division II National Championship for the second consecutive season following a runner-up finish at the 2026 Region IV/Midwest District Tournament. It marks just the second time in program history Highland has qualified for the national tournament in back-to-back years and the first occurrence since the 2006-2007 seasons.

Highland enters the week with confidence after previously finding success at Swan Lake Resort earlier this season. The Cougars finished third at the NJCAA National Preview against many of the same programs set to compete for a national title this week.

"After the two practice rounds, I feel like we have a competitive edge and confidence leading into this tournament," said Head Coach Javier Jazo. "The field is very strong, yet we feel confident with our games."

The Cougars' continued success reflects a strong tradition of national representation for the program. Highland has sent at least one individual golfer to the NJCAA National Championship every year since 2000. Notable qualifiers include Kyle Ketcham and Javier Jazo in 2020, Connor Shoemaker in 2021, Riku Moriyama in 2022, the full team in 2023 as Region IV Champions, Oskar Akerlind in 2024, and team appearances in both 2025 and now 2026 following runner-up finishes.

With experience at the national course, momentum throughout the spring, and confidence built over the season, the Cougars now turn their attention toward competing against the best NJCAA Division II programs in the country.

Highland will begin championship play at Swan Lake Resort on Tuesday, May 19.

To follow along live, visit this link: https://scoreboard.clippd.com/tournaments/244655/scoring/tee-times