2016 C-USA Championship Final Results 
TEXARKANA, Ark. - WKU men's golf logged a 13-over 301 on the final day of the 2016 C-USA Championship hosted at the Texarkana Country Club on Tuesday afternoon, finishing in 10th place with a total score of 36-over 900 (297-302-301).
The Hilltoppers improved both their score and position from their first C-USA campaign in 2015, moving from 11th to 10th and shooting one stroke better than the team at last year's C-USA Championship. Freshman Blake Smith, who finished tied for 18th, is the Hilltoppers' best finisher in a conference championship since Cameron Beal placed 13th at the Sun Belt Championship in 2014.
UAB, ranked 38th in the latest Golfstat rankings, claimed the top spot at one-over 865 (285-294-286). The Blazers, along with Louisiana Tech, North Texas and UTSA, advance to Wednesday's match play to determine the 2016 C-USA team champion.
Smith finished tied as the field's leader with 41 pars across 54 holes and closed at seven-over 223 (73-72-78) for the tournament. The freshman ended in a tie with UAB's Lee Hodges, Old Dominion's David Langley and Marshall's Davey Jude for 18th overall on the individual leaderboard to cap a strong first campaign on The Hill.
Fellow freshman Stuart Easton and sophomore Billy Tom Sargent each finished at 12-over 228 to tie for 38th in the field of 65 golfers. Easton (74-74-80) finished with nine birdies in the event and a two-under score on par-5 holes, while Sargent (75-77-76), also competing in his first C-USA Championship, led the Hilltoppers in scoring on par-4 layouts at two-over par.
Seniors Trey Aguirre and Austin King rounded out the card for WKU in their final collegiate appearances, tying for 41st overall at 13-over 229. Aguirre (77-79-73), WKU's first C-USA All-Academic Team honoree, fired the low round of the day for the Hilltoppers on Tuesday with a one-over 73 to move up seven spots on the leaderboard, while King leaped five spots with his two-over 74. Both Aguirre and King led WKU with 10 birdies apiece in the tournament.
UAB's Taylor Eyster captured individual medalist honors in a one-round playoff over Louisiana Tech's Victor Lange, whose final round 65 and birdie on the 18th hole qualified him for the playoff.
WKU closes the 2015-16 campaign with six top-five finishes as a team, including the program's first team championship since 2013 at the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate in March. The Hilltoppers finished the spring season with five top-five finishes in six opportunities.
Final WKU Results
T18. Blake Smith (+7, 223, 73-72-78)
T38. Stuart Easton (+12, 228, 74-74-80)
T38. Billy Tom Sargent (+12, 228, 75-77-76)
T41. Trey Aguirre (+13, 229, 77-79-73)
T41. Austin King (+13, 229, 75-80-74)
