PROVO, Utah – Freshman Kihei Akina was named to Golfweek’s 2025-26 Preseason All-America third team on Thursday.
Akina is one of eight Big 12 golfers to get a preseason All-American selection. Akina is also the only Cougar to be selected for the upcoming season.
The rising freshman out of Lone Peak is currently ranked 58th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) before his collegiate career has officially begun. Akina was selected four times as first team all-state in high school and has already garnered amateur event success by winning the 99th Utah Open in early August.
This year, Akina also competed in Korn Ferry Tour’s Utah Championship and the U.S. Amateur. The 19-year-old was selected to the 2025 National Junior Team USA roster, a U.S. Elite Amateur Program, back in January.
Akina also competed in the Black Desert Championship last October, the first PGA Tour event in his young career.
Golfweek Magazine has the rest of the list of preseason All-Americans listed here.