HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, Fla. – The No. 3 University of North Georgia (UNG) men's golf team sits in third place out of 20 teams after day one of the 2025 NCAA Men's Golf South/Southeast Regional at Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla. 

The Nighthawks need a top-seven finish to advance to the 2025 NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championship, May 19-23 at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. 

UNG trails No. 9 Florida Southern by five shots as the Mocs lead the field at 8-under par. No. 13 Columbus State landed in second place at 4-under after round one while the Nighthawks trail the Cougars by one shot at 3-under.

Senior Ethan Day led the way for UNG in the first round at 6,960-yard, par-72 Mission Inn Resort. Day carded five birdies en route to a 2-under 70 in the opening round. He sits in ninth place on the individual leaderboard after day one.

Day was one of three Nighthawk golfers to finish below par after the first 18 holes Thursday. 

Sophomore Colby Bennett and graduate student Jack Vajda each landed an 18th-place standing after shooting a 1-under 71 Thursday. 

Bennett had three birdies on the day including one at the par-5 17th hole to cap off his opening round. 

After opening the day with a bogey at the par-5 1st hole, Vajda steadied things as he went bogey-free the rest of the day. He posted birdies at 12 and 16 on the back nine to finish the round below par. 

Senior Hughes Threlkeld held the final scoring spot for UNG Thursday as he brought a 1-over 73 into the clubhouse that included a pair of front nine birdies for a 37th-place marking. 

Junior Hunter Smith finished one shot behind Threlkeld with a 2-over 74 in the first round. 

The Nighthawks will be among the first groups on the course in Friday's second round as Threlkeld tees off first at 7:30 a.m. Day will bring up the rear with an 8:10 tee time Friday morning.