INDIANAPOLIS – Valdosta State men's golf juniors Alexander Nilehn and William Carestam learned Sunday evening they have qualified for the 2026 NCAA Division II Men's Golf South/Southeast Super Regional, set for May 7-9 at Valdosta Country Club in Valdosta, Ga.  
 
The NCAA announced via press release on NCAA.com the 2026 Men's Golf championship field consisting of 80 teams and 32 student-athletes competing as individuals.  Along with Carestam and Nilehn, Reggie Fear of Eckerd and Ty Werynski of Delta State also qualified as individuals. 
 
As for the teams, Gulf South Conference champion and top-ranked West Florida, along with Sunshine State Conference champion Florida Southern, Nova Southeastern, Saint Leo, Lee, Barry, Rollins, Palm Beach Atlantic, Lynn and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion Miles comprise the ten-team field.  
 
From the Southeast Region, Peach Belt Conference champion Georgia Southwestern, South Atlantic Conference champion Wingate, Catawba, Columbus State, North Georgia, University of South Carolina Aiken, Lincoln Memorial, University of South Carolina Beaufort, Flagler and Emmanuel (Ga.) from Conference Carolinas qualified as teams for the regional.  In addition, four individuals from the Southeast Region also qualified with Matt McDougall and Sean Finan of Lenoir-Rhyne, along with Ryan Jahr of Barton and Samuel Ankelstam of Young Harris. 
 
For the Blazers, Carestam and Nilehn are the first two VSU players to qualify for the regionals since former Blazer Wesley Hanson qualified in 2022 and ironically the regional also was in Valdosta and then at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club.  
 
Nilehn, a native of Goteborg, Sweden, and seeded second among the individuals in the South Region has a 72.7 stroke average for the year in 11 tournaments.  He has 30 of 30 rounds in the 70s with two in the 60s, with a low-round of 66 at the Saint Leo Invitational.  He has one top three finish this season (T-3^rd) at The Griffin Invitational and finished in the top ten four times this season, including finishing ninth at the 2026 GSC Championships with a 3-under 213 score.  
 
Last season, Nilehn earned Second Team All-GSC honors, while being named Academic All-District as voted on by College Sports Communicators, GSC All-Academic and earned a spot on the GSC Academic Honor Roll.  He also earned Cobalt Golf All-America Scholar honors.  For his career, he has played in 30 tournaments and 88 rounds with a career stroke average of 73.6.  He has 75 rounds in the 70s and ten in the 60s.  
 
Carestam, a native of Gothenburg, Sweden, and seeded third transferred from Charleston (W.Va.) this year.  He has a 72.6 stroke average this season in 11 tournaments and 33 rounds.  He earned GSC Golfer of the Week twice this season and has fired 28 rounds in the 70s with five in the 60s, with a low-round of 68 at the NSU Shark Invitational.  He has two top ten finishes this season with his best being sixth at the NSU Shark Invitational with a 209 score (68, 72, 69).  

Check back with vstateblazers.com for more information on the regional and for the official NCAA South/Southeast Region Championship Central webpage this week.