SEARCY, Ark. — The Harding men's golf team reached its highest national ranking in program history Wednesday, climbing to No. 18 in the latest Scoreboard by Clippd national standings.
The ranking update comes at a pivotal moment for the Bisons, who are set to begin postseason play next week at the Great American Conference Championship.
National and Regional Standings
Harding's rise to No. 18 nationally is supported by a dominant 102-21-3 head-to-head record and an adjusted scoring average of 288.2. The Bisons are currently the second-highest ranked team in the Central Region, trailing only No. 6 Central Oklahoma.
The Bisons have been a model of consistency under head coach Samuel Tandy this season, recording seven top-three finishes in nine events, including tournament victories at the Shadow Valley Invitational and the Arkansas Collegiate.
Individual Excellence
The Bisons' lineup features three players ranked inside the top 60 nationally:
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Dennis Staykov: The senior from Sofia, Bulgaria, moved up to No. 13 in the individual national rankings. Staykov is a former GAC individual champion (2024) and is coming off a medalist performance at the Arkansas Collegiate.
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Jose Arzu: Currently ranked No. 52.
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Jose Manuel Peralta: Currently ranked No. 60.
Rounding out the ranked Bisons are Austin Bibb (#552), Conner Geist (#874), and Trent Harley (#1,092).
GAC Championship Preview
The Bisons will travel to Tulsa, Oklahoma, for the GAC Championship held at Stone Creek at Page Belcher Golf Course from April 13-15.
Harding enters the tournament as the heavy favorite among conference members. In the latest regional rankings, Harding (#2) is the only GAC team in the top 60. The nearest conference competitors in the national rankings are:
The Pursuit of History
Harding is searching for its first GAC team title in program history. The Bisons have been on a steady upward trajectory at the conference tournament over the last three seasons, finishing third in 2023, third in 2024, and a program-best second place in 2025.
Last year, the Bisons rewrote the record books with a final-round 269, the lowest round in program history, to finish as the runners-up. With three players ranked in the top 60 and the highest national ranking in school history, the Bisons are positioned to make a run at the top spot on the podium.
Harding at the GAC Championship (Recent History)
