Wheeling, W. Va. – During the 2025-26 season, the Wheeling University men's golf program reached new heights. The Cardinals qualified for the NCAA Division II Men's Golf National Championships for the first time in program history, led by a young roster that gained valuable experience throughout the season. With the 2026 fall campaign a little over a month away, the Cardinals are ready to get back on the course with the release of their 2026 fall schedule. 

The fall portion of the 2025 season was all about laying the foundation for the historic run that followed. With three of the five starters in either their freshman or sophomore seasons, the Cardinals competed in four regular-season tournaments before the 2025 Mountain East Conference (MEC) Men's Golf Championship, improving their finish in nearly every event. 

The season began with a fourth-place finish at the Wheeling Invitational before the Cardinals placed 14th at the Golden Eagle Invitational, their first 54-hole tournament of the year. From there, Wheeling finished in the top 10 in each of its final three fall events. The stretch included a seventh-place finish at the Stonewall Invitational before the Cardinals closed the regular season with a season-best third-place finish at the Pitt-Johnstown Invitational, where they carded a season-low 54-hole score of 862. 

The fall concluded at the 2025 MEC Men's Golf Championship, where Wheeling advanced to the third round for the first time since 2019. The Cardinals finished fourth overall with a three-round score of 909 while also placing one golfer on the MEC All-Tournament Team. 

After leading the program to its first NCAA National Championship appearance a season ago, Head Coach Thadd Obecny has assembled a challenging schedule designed to prepare his team for another postseason run and a chance to compete for a national title. 

The Cardinals open the fall with back-to-back conference tests, both hosted by the University of Charleston. The season begins Sept. 8-9 at the Golden Eagle Invitational in Charleston, West Virginia. Wheeling then returns to face the Golden Eagles Sept. 21-22 at the Charleston Invitational in Morgantown, West Virginia. 

The Cardinals close out September with their first back-to-back weekend of the season, traveling to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, for the Pitt-Johnstown Invitational on Sept. 28-29. The tournament will feature many of the region's top programs, including several teams Wheeling faced during last season's run to the NCAA National Championships. Opening the year with a schedule filled with conference and regional competition will give the Cardinals an early measuring stick as they pursue another trip to nationals. 

October begins with one of the most important events of the fall as Wheeling competes in the 2026 MEC Men's Golf Championship. Dates and the host site are still to be announced, but the Cardinals will look to build on last season's fourth-place finish while competing for the conference championship. 

Following the MEC Championship, Wheeling will close the fall with two more regional events before the winter break. The first sends the Cardinals to Farmington, Pennsylvania, for the Findlay Invitational, scheduled for Oct. 19-21. Wheeling will then wrap up its fall schedule at the Ohio Dominican Invitational on Oct. 26-27. The 54-hole event will provide one final opportunity to compete against regional opponents before turning its attention to the spring championship season. 

The Wheeling University men's golf team opens the 2026 fall season on Sept. 8 when it begins play at the Golden Eagle Invitational in Charleston, West Virginia.