BETHLEHEM, PA. // Team captain
Benjamin Valdez (Sr / Stevenson Ranch, Calif.) was one of six student-athletes named to the 2025 Academic All-Patriot League Men's Golf Team it was announced by the league office. Valdez is the sixth different Navy golfer (Peter Reilly 2011, '12 / Chris House 2013, '14 / Connor Tallman 2016, '17 / Nicholas Klock 2021 / Keegan Shreves 2022, '23) to earn the citation and the fifth to earn the award multiple times. A Navy golfer has been honored 11 times since the award was established in 2011.
A standout in the classroom, Valdez owns a 3.85 grade-point average as a quantitative economics major and has been recognized six times on the Commandant's List, while earning Dean's List mention five times. He was also recognized in the spring of his sophomore year on the Superintendent's List.
Valdez produced a 75.89 average over the 10 tournaments in which he played this year, placing among the top 20 in three events. He opened the season with a 1-over par 145 to place 12th and help lead the Mids to the Alex Lagowitz Memorial team title. He went on to close out the spring with a ninth-place showing at the Commander-In-Chief's Cup where he turned in a 1-over par 145. Making his final appearance for the Midshipmen, he turned in a 7-over par 217 to finish 20th at the Patriot League Championship. He shot a team-low 2-under par 68 in the second round.
Six of the eight Patriot League institutions sponsoring varsity men's golf programs were represented on the academic team, including 2025 Patriot League Men's Golfer of the Year Nolan Schuermann of Holy Cross who claimed individual medalist honors and was also named the men's golf scholar-athlete of the year.
To be eligible for the Scholar-Athlete of the Year award and the Academic All-Patriot League Team, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative grade-point average and be a starter or key player in his sport. Freshmen or students in their first academic year at their school are not eligible for the honor.
2025 Patriot League Men's Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Nolan Schuermann, Holy Cross
2025 Academic All-Patriot League Men's Golf Team
+ John Heckel Jr. / Army / Sr.
^ Robbie Herzig / Colgate /Sr.
^ Nolan Schuermann / Holy Cross / Sr.
^ Quint Dingledine / Lafayette / Sr.
Mike Crowley / Loyola / Gr.
Benjamin Valdez / Navy / Sr.
^ Named First-Team All-Patriot League // + Named Second-Team All-Patriot League
### Go Navy ###
