UNLV Golf Shatters Records, Wins First Title Since 2018

The University of Nevada Las Vegas men's golf team just proved that patience and grit pay off in the biggest moments.

At the Mountain West Championship in Tucson, Arizona, the Rebels captured both the team title and individual championship for the first time since 2018. The victory marks head coach Jean-Paul Hebert's first conference championship in his four years leading the program.

Junior Zach Little was nothing short of spectacular. His final round 8-under 64 gave him a tournament total of 17-under 199, setting a new UNLV program record for conference play. The previous record of 16-under 200 had stood since 2018.

The team's performance was equally impressive. UNLV shot a final round 12-under 276 to finish at 39-under 825, breaking the program's conference championship record by five strokes.

But winning didn't come easy. The Rebels finished stroke play tied with 21st-ranked New Mexico, forcing a sudden-death playoff on the 18th hole. Seniors Wyatt Plattner and Brett Sawaia made par before Little sank his putt to clinch the championship by two shots.

The depth of this UNLV squad showed all tournament long. Every single Rebel golfer finished with a par-or-better scorecard for the entire three-day event. Andrew Lewis tied for eighth place at 4-under 207, while Sawaia finished tied for 19th at 6-under 210.

The Ripple Effect

This championship caps a breakout season for UNLV golf. The Rebels earned six top-five finishes throughout the 2025-26 campaign, including a tournament victory at the NB3 Matchplay at Twin Warriors event. Their consistency has built momentum heading into the NCAA Regional Championships.

For Little, the win extended an impressive streak to seven consecutive tournaments finishing in the top 15. His 17-under performance also set a new personal career-low score, showing how champions rise when the stakes are highest.

Coach Hebert praised his team's growth beyond just the scoreboard. "Our guys are showing more and more patience, resilience, and commitment to what they are doing," he said after the victory.

The Rebels now wait to learn their NCAA Regional destination when the selection show airs May 6 on the Golf Channel.