Virginia Union University’s Hayden Garcia, who competed in 2022-23 as a graduate student for the VUU Golf Team, has been named an All-American by The Black College Golf Coaches Association and Golf Coaches Association of America, it was announced last Thursday.

The BCGCA awards honor black college golfers from all backgrounds and across all divisions of collegiate golf. Garcia, who hails from South Africa, helped lead the Pan- thers to an appearance in the NCAA Division II Regional Golf Championship in 2023, and also was the salutatorian of the 2022 VUU graduating class.

Garcia also was named the 2022 CIAA Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Garcia was a standout golfer in the Panthers program, earning All-CIAA honors following the 2022 spring season. The Cape Town, South Africa, native also helped lead VUU to a team title at the CIAA Northern Division Tournament, where he earned the Low Medalist award as the top individual finisher and was an All-Tournament selection.

Additionally, Garcia was a vital part of Virginia Union’s runner-up finish at the 2022 and 2023 CIAA Golf Championship, an event that he finished fourth and ninth overall individually to earn a spot on the All-Tournament team. Carrying a cumulative 4.01 GPA as a biology major, Garcia was named salutatorian of the 2022 graduating class at Virginia Union. While at VUU, Garcia worked for Dr. Vernon Ruffin in the Ruffin Neurological Lab during his last two semesters and was active in the community, registering more than 180 service hours throughout his career.