June 18, 2026
Men's Golf announces 2025-26 team honors
Haden Maxwell earns the Gilbert Darcy Most Valuable Player, Bryson White the Most Improved Player. Nick Etherton the Coach's Award and Spencer Stuke the Bobby Nichols Award for Leadership
By Thomas Corhern, TTU Athletics Media Relations
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – After a strong season that saw a runner-up finish in the Ohio Valley Conference Golf Championship and a postseason appearance in the Golfweek National Golf Invitational, four Tennessee Tech men's golfers are earning team accolades.
Haden Maxwell earned the team's top honor with the Gilbert Darcy Most Valuable Player Award, while Bryson White was named the team's Most Improved Player. Nick Etherton earned the Coach's Award, while Spencer Stuke was named the Bobby Nichols Award for Leadership winner.
Maxwell had an incredible season as he posted a 70.9 stroke average across 36 rounds of play – the lowest single-season mark in program history as he surpassed Tech Hall of Famer Scott Stallings' 2005-06 mark (71.08).
"Haden put together one of the all-time performances for Tech Golf this season," said head coach Polk Brown. "There really isn't an adequate way to put into words how stellar not only this season was, but his entire career. He will be a Hall of Famer in the future, and above all else, he's a great young man who was a tremendous leader and ambassador for our program."
In the 12 events this season, Maxwell had seven Top 5 finishes, including medalist honors at UT Martin's Grover Page Classic and the USC Upstate Carolina Cup. He also finished second at Kennesaw State's The Scrappy, as well as the Xavier Invitational, then taking third-place marks at the Austin Peay Intercollegiate and the Kentucky Bluegrass Invitational.
Maxwell carded a 65 twice this past season at the Grover Page Classic and the Xavier Invitational.
White's numbers made gradual improvement through the course of his freshman campaign, putting together some of the team's best rounds in the 2025-26 campaign. He carded a 68 during The Carolina Cup and a 69 at the Austin Peay Intercollegiate.
"From fall to spring, Bryson made the biggest jump on our team," Brown said. "He only played two events in the fall, but, in his second semester, he played in all of them and was on the team the entire time. He was a big reason why we made the run we did at OVC. Without question, Bryson is one of the hardest workers on the team and has a bright, bright future for us."
The Coach's Award honors the player displaying the best attitude, the most dedication, and the biggest impact on the team in a given season. Etherton made the most of his year in Cookeville, collecting a 73.1 stroke average with a Top 5 finish, two Top 10s, and five Top 20s.
Etherton, a Chattanooga transfer, recorded a 67 in the Golfweek Fall Challenge, a 68 and two 70 rounds at the Grover Page Classic, as well as a 69 at the Austin Peay Intercollegiate.
"Wish we could have had Nick for his entire career, but the impact he made on this team this year was profound," Brown said. "He was a tremendous teammate and helped us play at high level throughout the season. His experience and leadership were amazing."
The Bobby Nichols Award for Leadership, named for the legendary Tech golf coach, is presented to the player who has shown and provided the most leadership on the team during the given year. Stuke completed 12 rounds this season with a 76.8 stroke average and a Top 20 finish.
"Can't say enough good things about the energy Spencer brought to the team this year," Brown said. "He was always positive and supportive of the team, whether he traveled or not. He brings a ton of passion and work ethic to our program, and we look for that to continue the next few years. We are blessed to have him."
