NORMAN, Okla. — BYU golfer Kihei Akina was named the recipient of the 2026 NCAA Division I Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award presented by StrackaLine, the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) in partnership with the Golf Channel announced on Tuesday.
Annually, this award honors the National Freshman of the Year in men’s collegiate golf.
Akina is the first Cougar in school history to achieve this honor since the award's creation in 1992. Akina’s reception of this award automatically put him on the GCAA All-Freshman Team, composed of five freshmen players.
The Lone Peak product garnered several other awards and accolades leading up to this prestigious honor. Akina nabbed Big 12 Freshman of the Year, was named to the All-Big 12 First Team and was recognized as one of 10 Fred Haskins Award Finalists. He also earned a roster spot on team USA for the Arnold Palmer Cup at Tralee Golf Club in Ireland. Akina ranked No. 8 on the latest individual rankings on Scoreboard and No. 22 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).
In his rookie campaign, the Utah Open winner picked up two individual victories back-to-back at the R.E. Lamkin and Bridgestone Collegiate Invitationals. Akina’s win at the Bridgestone was a 21-under 195 (65-67-63), the lowest 54-hole score in Cougar history since the 1999-00 season. The star freshman also locked up two runner-up, seven top-5, and 11 top-10 finishes this season, with all seven top-5 placements coming in an eight tournament span from October 28 at The Preserve Golf Club Collegiate to April 29 at the Big 12 Championship. A 69.05 scoring average for Akina is the record of the lowest single-season scoring average in program history.
With head coach Bruce Brockbank’s final year at the helm, Akina capped off his freshman resume by tying for 8th place in the NCAA National Championship, with each round producing a below-par score.