A lack of snow blanketing the ground and sunlight growing longer each day can only mean one thing in Minnesota: Spring has arrived and so has the 2026 high school golf season.
Nearly 5,000 golfers and over 550 teams will hit the course in the coming days, hoping to lead their respective teams to a Minnesota State High School League championship at season’s end.
A year ago, both Cretin-Derham Hall and Chanhassen boys battled atop Class AAA for the entirety of the season before the Raiders pulled out a five-stroke victory last June at Bunker Hills Golf Club.
But both the Raiders and the Storm lost four starters from their state tournament squads in 2025 and, as a result, will struggle to contend in Class AAA this season.
Despite losing 2024 individual champion Torger Ohe, the Edina boys return a solid core of seniors David Colby, Peter Bennett and Sander Ohe, along with junior Chase Larson, who will all lead the Hornets back into the mix in 2026.
Down a pair of starters from last season, Benilde-St. Margaret’s, behind senior Braydon Pulcanio and juniors Cade Callan and Colin Hastings, the Red Knights will once again contend for the top spot in Section 6AAA.
The state tournament teams of Rosemount, Alexandria and Northfield each see the return of key starters from last season’s teams and will once again make a strong push for the postseason at Bunker Hills in June.
Cruising to an eight-stroke victory for their first Class AA team title since 2012, the Lakers from Detroit Lakes should be the favorite to return as the top team at Ridges at Sand Creek at the end of the season, returning five of their six starters from the 2025 season.
Seniors Brock Burhans and Lawsen Justesen, as well as junior Sully Braaten will look to bring a fifth team title to Detroit Lakes, but will have a pair of teams standing in the way.
The Blake School lost its top starter in Ian Friederichs, but return a strong core of seniors Jimmy Hughes, Cole Eckes and Jack Mark, as well as junior Charlie Dean—all of whom finished inside the top-35 at last year’s season finale to help the Bears to a runner-up finish.
Mr. Minnesota Golf hopeful Collin Ramos, who placed in a tie for third at the Class AA championship last June will once again lead Totino-Grace into the 2026 season. He will get help from fellow senior Ben Appelhof and sophomore Drew Burstad, who placed inside the top-10 to close out his freshman season, helping the Eagles to a fourth-place finish.
The Wolves from Walker-Hackensack-Akeley provided the first team title in program history last season, downing Legacy Christian Academy by 18 strokes. Bad news for both teams this season, they will be without three of their five starters from 2025.
Look for 2025 Class A runner-up Alex Rhode and fellow senior Evan Villagomez to lead Heritage Christian Academy back to Pebble Creek Golf Club in June, hoping to reach the state championship for the second time in school history.
Park Christian returns five starters, while Rushford-Peterson should return all six golfers from the 2025 squad as both teams look to improve on their fourth-place finishes.
The girls from Minnetonka left little doubt as to who was the best team in Class AAA last season, entering the state championship as the state’s top-ranked team for the entirety of the 2025 season before claiming the school’s first team title with a resounding 19-stroke victory over Maple Grove at Bunker Hills.
Seniors Selena Wu and Ruby Reding, combined with the firepower of juniors Kieley Hanson and Mila Sloan should be more than enough for the Skippers to contend for a second consecutive team title in June.
Down just one player, senior Abby Stendahl and juniors Annika Hendrickson and Emerson Soderberg will help the Crimson once again, entering 2026 as the state’s third-ranked team.
Also contending for the Class AAA crown at Bunker Hills will be the 2025 tourney teams of Wayzata, Alexandria, Elk River and Owatonna.
Claiming an astonishing ninth team title last season at Ridges at Sand Creek, the girls from Detroit Lakes will enter the season once again as the team to beat in Class AA. Down one starter from a year ago, the Lakers return the core of senior Tatum Gatheridge, junior Jaycie Sliper and sophomore Sophie Christianson in hopes of giving Detroit Lakes its 10th team title in school history.
Falling to the Lakers by nine last year, Minnewaska will be without Arivia Deboer but should make a compelling case in Class AA again behind senior Ava Kollman and junior Annika Deboer as both placed inside the top-10 at last season’s state championship.
The Mustangs from Breck were denied a state tournament bid by Hill-Murray in Section 4AA, but they return all six starters from last season and will enter the 2026 season as one of the teams to watch and challenge Detroit Lakes down the stretch.
The Blackjacks from Dawson-Boyd celebrated their second Class AA team title in just the school’s second appearance at the state championship last season at Pebble Creek, and despite losing its top player in individual champion Lindsey Lund, senior Alyssa Swedzinski and sophomores Kylar Hjelmeland and Claire Stratmoen should provide enough strength to lead Dawson-Boyd to their third Class A appearance.
The Rebels from Murray County Central finished fourth in 2025, 79 shots behind the pace set by Dawson-Boyd. But Murray County Central has the luxury of returning five of six starters from last season’s tournament squad, looking to upend the Blackjacks at Pebble Creek in June.
Elias Ekern (Northfield High School, Class AAA) – Named to the inaugural Team Minnesota last fall, Ekern finished 11th in Class AAA with a 72.5 scoring average across 17 events. Earned medalist honors in four events before finishing runner-up at the Section 1AAA championship. Placed in a tie for 15th at the Class AAA season finale at Bunker Hills.
Zachary Johnson (Maple Grove High School, Class AAA) – Finished 13th in Class AAA with a 72.9 scoring average in 18 events. Won three events, including co-medalist honors at the Section 5AAA championship before a top-20 finish at the Class AAA championship.
Dylan Kringen (Orono High School, Class AAA) – Led the state amongst underclassmen with a scoring average of 71.6 in 14 events during his junior season. Made a late-season push with a pair of victories, including the Section 2AAA championship before his runner-up finish at the Class AAA championship, shooting 70-68.
Braydon Pulcanio (Benilde-St. Margaret’s, Class AAA) – Finished 12th in Class AAA with a scoring average of 72.6 in 13 events. Earned one victory before placing fifth at the Section 6AAA championship to help the Red Knights advance to the Class AAA championship, where he finished in sixth place. Last fall, Pulcanio earned a spot on the inaugural roster of Team Minnesota.
Brock Burhans (Detroit Lakes High School, Class AA) – Finished 19th in Class AA with a scoring average of 74.9 in 18 events. Won the North-South Classic before placing sixth at the Section 8AA championship. Posted an opening-round 69 at the season finale on his way to a third-place finish.
Jimmy Hughes (Blake School, Class AA) – Placed 10th in Class AA with a 73.9 scoring average. Finished tied for fifth at the Section 4AA championship before his rounds of 75-74, respectively, at the state tournament to place in a share of 13th.
Collin Ramos (Totino-Grace, Class AA) – Named to the first Team Minnesota roster in October, Ramos finished sixth in Class AA with a scoring average of 72.8. His first win of the season came at the Section 5AA championship, shooting 74-69, respectively. Opened the Class AAA championship with a 1-over 73 before placing in a share of third with a final-round 72.
Maverick Reed (Walker-Hackensack-Akeley, Class A) – Finished 15th in Class A with a scoring average of 77.7 in 12 events. Finished tied for third at the Section 7A championship to help the Wolfpack to its fifth state tournament appearance. A final-round 73 by Reed helped him to a fourth-place finish and the Wolfpack to its first team title in program history.
Alex Rhode (Heritage Christian, Class A) – Placed fifth in Class A with a scoring average of 74.8. Earned medalist honors on four occasions during the 2025 season. He finished runner-up at the Section 4A championship before back-to-back rounds of 73 earned Rhode the Class A individual title at Pebble Creek last June.
Lauren Chambs (Wayzata High School, Class AAA) – Finished sixth in the state with a scoring average of 75.2. Claimed four victories on the season and fired a season-low 70 at the Andover Invite. Placed third at the Section 6AAA championship and tied for sixth at the Class AAA Championship. Thanks to a pair of top-5 finishes at state events in 2025, Chambs was named to the inaugural Team Minnesota roster in October.
Carmen Jirele (Owatonna, High School, Class AAA) – The Class AAA individual champion finished 10th in the state across all three sections with a 76.4 scoring average. Won five times, including the Big 9 Championship. Finished runner-up at the Section 1AAA championship and closed out the season with a 12th-place finish at the Class AAA finale.
Alyssa Raghuveer (Benilde-St. Margaret’s, Class AAA) – A member of the inaugural Team Minnesota roster, Raghuveer placed fourth in the state with a 73.5 scoring average. Fired a season-low 66 to claim medalist honors at the Holy Family Invite at Braemar Golf Course. A final-round 73 earned her medalist honors at the Section 6AAA championship before she posted back-to-back rounds of 73 to finish runner-up at the Class AAA championship.
Selena Wu (Minnetonka High School, Class AAA) – Named to Team Minnesota last fall, Wu finished third the state with a 73.1 scoring average before a runner-up finish at the Section 2AAA championship, followed by a fourth-place finish at the Class AAA championship. Shot a season-low 68 to claim her third victory of the season at the Andover Invite.
Tatum Gatheridge (Detroit Lakes High School, Class AA) – Finished fifth in Class AA with a 77.8 scoring average in 17 events, while earning medalist honors on four occasions, including the Section 8AA championship before placing in a share of 16th at the state tournament.
Ava Kollman (Minnewaska Area High School, Class AA) – Finished 21st in scoring average in Class AA to close out her junior season. Overcame a slow start to claim six top-10 finishes over her final eight starts of the season. Her season-low 77 came in the final round of the Class AA championship, where she placed tied for eighth.
Grace Raiche (Totino-Grace, Class AA) – Placed 10th in Class AA with a scoring average of 80. Won the Girls’ 5AA Pre-Section Invite at Pebble Creek with a season-low 2-over 74. Finished with four top-10s, including runner-up at Section 5AA championship before placing sixth at the Class AA season finale.
Brooke Brekke (Alden-Conger-Grove City, Class A) – Second in Class A with a 79.2 scoring average. Never finished outside the top-4 in nine 18-hole events during the season. Notched four victories, including back-to-back wins at the Ken Helling Invite and the Benson Girls Invitational before her third runner-up finish of the year at the Section 5A championship. Placed third at the Class A championship to cap off her junior season.
Carly Bronson (Hayfield High School, Class A) – Fifth in Class A with a scoring average of 83.4. Earned five victories, including the Gopher Conference and Section 1A titles before a 12th-place finish at the Class A championship.