BRIDGEWATER, VA – The Southern Virginia University men's golf team opened the 2024-2025 season dominantly, finishing first at the Kinder-Williams Invitational out of 18 competing teams. After starting in third place on day one, the Knights surged to victory by shooting +1 (289) on day two, overcoming rainy and challenging conditions to finish with a total of 581 strokes. Roanoke College placed second with 587, and Christopher Newport University followed closely in third with 590.
Newcomers played a crucial role in the Knights' success, led by Nikko Taggart, who finished second overall out of 95 competitors. Taggart shot rounds of 71 (-1) and 70 (-2), putting him at -3, which is the third-best individual performance in school history. Kaden Ford also had a strong debut, carding rounds of 76 (+4) and 72 (E), helping Southern Virginia secure the top spot.
Veteran Nick Johnson continued his consistent play, tying for third place with rounds of 69 (-3) and 73 (+1), for a total of 142. Johnson's two eagles in the tournament marked a significant milestone for the Knights. Charles Price finished T25th with a score of 150 (+6), while William Agnew closed with 156 (+12).
The Knights' final push was key to their success, shooting 5-under as a team over the last eight holes to come back from nine shots down. This effort led to the second-best 36-hole team score in program history at +5, just shy of the school record (+4) set during the 2021-2022 season.
The Southern Virginia B-Squad also posted solid results, finishing 10th overall. Highlighting their performance was Dax Anderson, who set the record for the second-lowest 36-hole total in school history (-4). Anderson shot an impressive 67 (-5) on day one, followed by a 73 (+1) on day two, finishing just ahead of Taggart. Anderson's performance ranks second only to the program record (-5) set by Nathan Presslar in the 2021-2022 season.
B-Team Day Two Scores:
- Dax Anderson: 36 (-1), 37 (+2), 73 (+1)
- Caden Bertagnole: 38 (+1), 38 (+3), 76 (+4)
- Sam Buckwalter: 45 (+8), 38 (+3), 83 (+11)
- Carter Damron: 39 (+2), 36 (+1), 75 (+3)
- Ethan Tippetts: 41 (+4), 40 (+5), 81 (+9)
The Knights now shift their focus to the Dickinson Fall Invitational on Monday, September 23rd, in Carlisle, PA, where either the B or C team will compete.
For the latest updates on Southern Virginia University golf, visit knightathletics.com and follow @knightmgolf on Instagram.
