University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Bridgestone Collegiate Invitational
Huskies Out West for Bridgestone Collegiate Invitational
3/22/2026 8:32:00 AM | Men's Golf
NAPA, CAÂ - The UConn men's golf team is back in on the course this week as they head to the west coast to take part in the third annual Bridgestone Collegiate Invitational at Silverado Country Club on March 24 and 25 as part of the PGA TOUR's Pathway to Progression.
The 54-hole team and individual stroke-play event will feature 10 Division I men's golf teams – in addition to Tohoku Fukushi – and three HBCU men's golf teams. The individual winner will earn an exemption into the 2026 Blue Championship, an official Korn Ferry Tour event held July 9-12 at TPC Colorado in Berthoud, Colorado.
The Huskies are part of a field that includes defending champion Tohoku Fukushi University, a premier collegiate golf program from Japan, along with 2024 champion, BYU, Cal Poly, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Hawaii, North Alabama, San Francisco, Santa Clara, and UC Davis. HBCU teams scheduled to compete include Florida A&M, Howard and North Carolina A&T
UConn played in the inaugural event in the spring of 2024, finishing seventh in the 11 team field and were led by then freshman Bradley Sawka (Ellington, CT). Sawka, playing as an individual for UConn, shot six-under for the tournament to finish in a three-way tie for second place and just a stroke off the top-spot.Â
Swaka will lead the Husky lineup this week in Napa. Over eight events this season, Sawka leads the team with a 70.6 per round average with 14 rounds at or under par and four top-20 finishes this year. Senior Connor Goode (Glastonbury, CT) has been equally impressive with a 71.3 per round average, 13 rounds at par or better and four top-20 finishes as well.
Sophomore Matt Costello (Taunton, MA) is coming off a strong showing at the Surf Club Invite last time out where he finished tied with Sawka for 21st overall and had his lowest round of the season when he carded a second round 66.
Freshman Brennan Korn (Scottsdale, AZ), who has played as an individual in the first three events of the spring cracks the UConn line up this week and sophomore Caden Blanchette (Manchester, PA) rounds it out. UConn will feature two individual golfers this week in sophomore Kai-Jun Huang (Taipei, Taiwan) and freshman Matthew Oliveira (Dartmouth, MA).
Following this week's tournament, the Huskies will have two more events leading up to the BIG EAST Championships. UConn will kick-off the month of April at the Golfweek Stifel Invitational on April 6-8 in Pawley's Island, SC.
The Bridgestone Collegiate Development Program is dedicated to enhancing competitive and mentorship opportunities for golfers from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and underrepresented communities. Additionally, it offers tangible career development opportunities for both players and coaches.
Initiatives include the Bridgestone APGA Collegiate Ranking, the HBCU Performance Day presented by Bridgestone, the Pathway to Progression HBCU Performance Day presented by Bridgestone, and two collegiate golf tournaments – the Bridgestone Collegiate Invitational and the Bridgestone HBCU Invitational.
Players Mentioned
