VICTORIA - The University of Victoria men's golf team opens the 2025-26 season Sept. 29–30 at the Western Washington University Men's Fall Invitational in Bellingham, WA.
The Vikes enter the year looking to build on a strong 2024-25 campaign that saw them claim the Continental Athletic Conference Championship, place third at the Canada West Championship and finish second at the Canadian University/College Championship. They also finished in 15th-place at the NAIA Men's Golf National Championship, where they advanced past the cut in a competitive field.
Head coach
Justin Clews returns a veteran core along with a few highly regarded recruits, giving the program both experience and depth heading into the fall schedule.
From the coach's desk:
"On the men's side, we want to continue our momentum from a solid 2025 postseason, which included making the cut at the NAIA Championship against a strong field last May. We have a solid core of returning players along with a couple of strong recruits in Max and Parker," said head coach
Justin Clews. "There will be a heightened focus on team culture regardless of results, which includes full buy-in mentally from all players."
Key returners
Owen Croft
Now in his third season, Croft has already established himself as one of the program's top performers. Last year, he earned NAIA PING All-Region honours and posted the top UVic finish at three events across his nine tournament appearances. As a rookie in 2023-24, he collected a long list of accolades, including UVic Rookie of the Year, RGCA All-Canadian, Continental Athletic Conference Individual and Team Champion, CAC Golfer of the Year, and CAC Golfer of the Week.
Maguire Lines
An Oak Bay High School graduate, Lines returns for his third season following a 2024-25 campaign where he earned CAC All-Conference recognition. Competing in all 10 tournaments, he recorded three top-10 finishes, highlighted by a seventh-place showing at the True North Classic and a tie for 11th at the Canada West Championship.
Solomon Decksheimer
Entering his second season, Decksheimer is quickly developing into a steady contributor for UVic. The Calgary native and Edge School graduate is establishing himself as a consistent scorer and a leader on the roster, ready to take another step forward in 2025-26.
Newcomers to watch
The Vikes will also feature a talented group of newcomers this season. First-year golfer
Sam Kurytnik, out of Nanaimo Christian School, arrives with an impressive resume that includes winning both the Zone 6 Junior and men's amateur titles, as well as the BC School Sports Single 'A' Island and Provincial Championships.
Max Regier, a transfer from UBCO, adds size and experience to the roster. The Saskatoon, Sask., product stands 6'3" and brings a powerful game to the lineup after spending a year competing in Canada West. Joining him is
Parker Riou of Strathmore, Alta., who was a three-time golf MVP at Strathmore High School and collected six wins on the Maple Leaf Junior Tour. Together, the trio strengthens the depth of UVic's lineup and signals a bright future for the program.
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Western Washington University Men's Fall Invitational
Monday, Sept. 29 & Tuesday, Sept. 30 | Bellingham, WA
