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Ocasio Caps Outstanding 2025-2026 Campaign with Ping All-American Recognition

Ocasio Caps Outstanding 2025-2026 Campaign with Ping All-American Recognition

Norman, Okla. - St. Thomas Aquinas College golfer Diego Ocasio has been recognized as a Division II All-American by PING Golf and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) for his outstanding work on the links during the 2025-2026 season.

Ocasio (Bronxville, N.Y.) played an integral roll in the Spartans' strong season on the links, which included a trip to the NCAA Division II Atlantic/East Super Regional, where the maroon and gold finished 17th.

The STAC junior (214/+4) led the team for the entire Super Regional tournament and finished tied for sixth among individual golfers. 

The 2025-2026 campaign was filled with growth and progress for St. Thomas Aquinas College, and was highlighted by eight top-10 team finishes in the regular season, with the Spartans finishing in the top-five in five of those events and placing first at both the Thomas Jefferson University Spring Invitational and the STAC vs. Dominican Rockland County Cup event.

NCAA Division II PING All-Americans

First Team

Max Barile, Florida Southern

Lewis Beeden, Wingate

Conrad Brown, Western Washington

Reggie Fear, Eckerd

Octavio Laurent, USCB

Bruno Marques, Nova Southeastern

Cooper Tendick, West Florida

Drew Zielinski, Lee

 

Second Team

Sam Brown, Georgia Southwestern

Nick Canales, Central Oklahoma

Manuel Cue Vargas, Grand Valley State

Harry Dickins, Lincoln Memorial

Sam Jenkins, Dallas Baptist

Bennett McNabb, Lee

Brandon Skidmore, Wingate

Colton Swartz, Florida Southern

 

Third Team

Gabriel Hull, Emmanuel (GA)

Jordan Jones, Georgia Southwestern

Kongpop Kaikaew, St. Mary’s (TX)

Tyler Mistretta, Florida Southern

William Partner, Columbus State

Hunter Smith, North Georgia

Will Tate, UTPB

Bryce Wheeler, Grand Valley State

 

Honorable Mention

Leo Baudry, UMSL

Seth Bearden, Midwestern State

Baylor Bostick, Central Oklahoma

Lance Christensen Jr., Colorado Christian 

Peyton Coahran, Winona State

George Cordall, Lee

Sacha Corlouer, Georgia Southwestern

Mattia D'Errico, Wingate

Marius Dosiere, CSU Pueblo

Naoki Easterday, Chico State

Per Ekelund, West Florida

Paul Esnault, Catawba

Andrew Gwilliams, Grand Valley State

Logan Mayo, UMSL

Anthony Monteleone, Florida Southern

Bradley Mulder, Colorado Christian

Diego Ocasio, St. Thomas Aquinas

CJ Phillips, Central Missouri 

Ian Pienaar, Columbus State 

Pau Sanchez, Charleston (WV)

Rasmus Seppanen, Gannon

Dani Solavera, UMSL

Dennis Staykov, Harding

Alfie Storer, Wingate

Robert Thompson, Hillsdale

TJ Thompson, West Florida  

Noah Wallace, Wilmington (DE)

Archie Wyatt, CSU Pueblo

 

About PING All-Americans

The GCAA began naming NCAA Division II All-Americans in 1975, with PING sponsoring the award since at least 1991. For Division II, the First Team consists of eight golfers (nine if the individual national champion wasn’t already named to the First Team), eight on the Second Team, eight on the Third Team, and at least 16 earn Honorable Mention All-America honors. Automatic additions from GCAA member schools to Honorable Mention if not previously named include top-15 finishers at the NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championship, the top two players in each All-Region ballot, and NCAA Division II Regional Medalists.

 

About PING

PING designs, manufactures and markets a complete line of golf equipment including metal woods, irons, wedges, putters and golf bags. The family-owned company was founded in 1959 in the garage of the late Karsten Solheim, a mechanical engineer with an extensive background in the aerospace and computer industries. His frustration with his putting inspired him to design his own putter, which created a “pinging” sound when striking a golf ball. This sound was the source of the name now synonymous with innovation, quality and service throughout the world of golf. Solheim and his company are credited with numerous innovations that became industry standards, including perimeter weighting, custom fitting and the use of investment casting in the manufacturing of golf clubs. His insistence on adhering to strict engineering principles and tight manufacturing tolerances raised the level of product performance and quality throughout the golf industry. Solheim is the only person to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame as a golf club manufacturer. Today, the Phoenix-based company is under the direction of Solheim’s grandson, John K. Solheim, who leads a team of more than 800 dedicated employees committed to helping improve the games of golfers around the world.