CUSA Names UTEP’s Teeter Men’s Golfer of the Year, Puetz Coach of the Year, Foley Third Team on Friday

5/15/2026 10:54:00 AM

DALLAS – The UTEP men's golf team enjoyed a historic day as Conference USA league officials revealed the postseason awards on Friday. The Miners earned a pair of honors not received in nine seasons, as Dylan Teeter was named the Men's Golfer of the Year and Aaron Puetz was tabbed the Phillip Hatchett Coach of the Year. Patrick Foley was honored on the All-CUSA third team.

"This is a team award. Our Student-Athletes, the Century Club, the Miner Athletic Club, the city and community of El Paso that support our program; our success would not be possible without everyone," Puetz said. "UTEP is truly a special place, and I can't wait to see our continued growth. Go, Miners!!!"

Teeter, currently rated No. 137 in the latest ScoreBoard rankings, played in all 12 tournaments in 2025-26, leading the Miners with a 70.3 stroke average. The native of Bixby, Okla., shot a career-low 63 in round two at the CUSA Championship – one short of the course record – and helped the Miners advance to their third straight championship final. Teeter's efforts helped propel UTEP to a first-place finish at 31-under par in stroke play action. Teeter finished tied for second at 9-under par 207. The Miners advanced to match play as the No. 1 seed, defeating No. 4 Middle Tennessee, 4-1, in the semifinals. Teeter bested Carter Meneth, 4&3, along the way, dominating from the get-go as the match concluded after 15 holes.

Teeter was the top UTEP finisher in nine tournaments and placed in the top 10 in six events. Teeter posted a 14-under-par at the Whirlwind Invitational and earned a share of second place. He concluded the season with a school-record four CUSA weekly honors and six for his career, also a program standard.

Teeter's season will continue as the fifth-year player competes at the 2026 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Regional in Marana, Ariz., starting on Monday, May 18, through May 20. Teeter is the first Miner since Charles Corner (2017 and 2018) to advance to back-to-back NCAA Regionals. Corner was the last Miner to compete at the NCAA Championships in 2018. Before that, Chris Baryla was the last to do so in 2004.

For Teeter, it's his third consecutive All-CUSA honor, receiving second-team recognition in 2024 and 2025. Teeter is the only Miner in program history to earn three straight All-CUSA team honors.

Puetz, in his fifth season, directed the Miners into the championship round of match play at the 2026 CUSA Tournament for the third straight season. The first-seeded Miners bested No. 4 seed Middle Tennessee, 4-1, in the semifinals of the 2026 CUSA men's golf championships. UTEP topped the field in stroke play, dominating the course at 31-under par. The Orange and Blue thrived in 2025-26, finishing in the top 10 in the first 10 tournaments of the season. That was the longest streak to begin a season since at least 1997-98. The Miners opened the campaign with a ninth-place showing at the Island Resorts Intercollegiate, and followed that with three consecutive top-five efforts – third at the Whirlwind Invitational, and a pair of fifth-place finishers at the William H. Tucker Intercollegiate and Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational. UTEP was fourth at the Sam Ryder Intercollegiate.

Foley competed in 11 tournaments, penciling in a 72.0 stroke average – the second-best on the squad. Foley's best round was a 64 in the first round at the Whirlwind Invitational, while his 208 at the CUSA Championship was a career-low 54-round event. The junior shot 8-under par and tied for fifth overall. The native of Lausanne, Switzerland, opened the season with a 5-under par 211 effort at the Island Resort, and followed with 6-under par 210 at the Whirlwind, 3-under par 213 at the William H. Tucker, and 4-under par 212 at the Mark Simpson. For Foley, the postseason honor is his second, as he made the All-Freshman team in 2024.

UTEP POSTSEASON AWARDS HISTORY
Before Friday, the last UTEP golfer to win player of the year was Frederik Dreier in 2017, while the most recent UTEP coach to earn coach of the year was Scott Lieberwirth, also in 2017. It's the third CUSA Player of the Year award for the Miners, as Dreier was also distinguished in 2016. Overall, the UTEP program has combined for seven Player of the Year awards, with David Bishop (1989, 1991), Ryan Hietala (1995), and Chris Baryla (2004) being named Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Player of the Year. On the coaching side, the team now has five Coach of the Year honors, as Cricket Musch (1983, 1985) and Rick Todd (2001) were appointed WAC Coach of the Year.

JOIN THE 915 CAMPAIGN
UTEP Athletics has launched the "915 Campaign." Fans can support the UTEP Men's Golf Excellence Fund, which directly impacts the success of UTEP student-athletes. To join the "915 Campaign" and become a difference maker for UTEP Athletics, please click here.

Help support UTEP student-athletes by making a gift to the Miner Athletic Club. Visit https://am.ticketmaster.com/utep/donor-level/MTY%3D today!

For complete coverage of UTEP Men's Golf, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @UTEPMGolf (Twitter), @UTEPmensgolf (Instagram) and @UTEPMGolf (Facebook) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at www.UTEPMiners.com.

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