BUENA VISTA, Va. — The USA South Athletic Conference announced its 2026 men's golf all-conference awards on Thursday, with Southern Virginia University head coach Blair Garner earning Coach of the Year honors. The conference also recognized Nikko Taggart, Nick Johnson, and Kaden Ford on the All-Conference Team.

In his eight season at the helm, Garner becomes the first men's golf coach in program history to be named USA South Coach of the Year.

Garner has led the Knights to a No. 32 national ranking in Division III, according to Clippd. Under his leadership, Southern Virginia has improved its national ranking in each of the past three seasons, climbing from No. 110 in 2023–24 to No. 46 last season.

This year, the Knights hold a 294.8 team scoring average across 16 rounds and have recorded three runner-up finishes in six events.

Taggart delivered a record-breaking season, setting a new program mark with a 71.3 scoring average. He is currently ranked No. 33 nationally and captured medalist honors at the Chick-fil-A Invitational with a 7-under finish.

A junior, Taggart earned First Team All-Conference honors, becoming the first Knight in program history to receive first-team recognition.

Senior Nick Johnson was named Honorable Mention All-Conference after posting two top-five finishes, including a runner-up performance at the Kinder-Williams Invitational with a season-best 3-under score. Johnson averaged 72.9 across 20 rounds this season.

Kaden Ford, a junior from Colorado Springs, Colorado, was named to the USA South All-Sportsmanship Team in recognition of his leadership and attitude throughout the season.

Southern Virginia will look to continue its strong play at the USA South Men's Golf Championship in Sanford, North Carolina.

For updates on Southern Virginia men's golf, visit knightathletics.com and follow @knightmgolf on Instagram.