CARLSBAD, Calif. – Senior Brendan Valdes and sophomore Jackson Koivun of Auburn men’s golf were among the 10 Division I players to be named a First Team All-American by PING and the Golf Coaches Association of America Wednesday.
Auburn and Oklahoma State were the only programs with multiple players on the list this season.
Koivun and Valdes became the first two players in program history to be named two-time First Team All-Americans. Their selections were the 39th and 40th for the Tigers since the program’s first All-American, Morris Slingluff, in 1963.
Not only has the duo amassed a joint resume that includes four individual wins, 17 top-10 finishes, 51 subpar rounds and over 300 birdies, but they were also Auburn’s low men at the 2025 NCAA Championship, where they led the Tigers to the program’s third Elite Eight appearance.
Valdes finished his collegiate career as the program’s leader in birdies (558), rounds below par (81), sub-70 rounds (57) and top-10 finishes (25). He was a key member of the 2024 National Championship side and represented both Auburn and the United States at the 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup.
The future of the program, Koivun, continues his tear through the collegiate game, once again claiming SEC Golfer of the Year honors as well as being named a finalist for the Haskins, Hogan and Nicklaus National Player of the Year Awards. In April, he became the first man in nearly 50 years to earn low medalist at the SEC Championship in back-to-back seasons. Just a sophomore, Koivun is already one win away from tying Jimmy Green for the program’s individual wins record (6).
With a top-10 finish at this week’s NCAA Championship, Koivun also earned his 20th point and PGA Tour Card in the PGA Tour U Accelerated program. Koivun will defer his membership until at least the summer of 2026 as he is set to return to Auburn for his junior season this fall.
Second Team, Third Team and Honorable Mention All-Americans will be released by the GCAA at a later date.