Monday, October 13
Chenal CC / Little Rock, AR
University of North Texas
vs
Everett Buick GMC Classic
Keen Collects Third-Place Finish to Wrap Up Fall Season
10/14/2025 2:59:00 PM | Men's Golf
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Sophomore Blake Keen's third-place finish marked the highest placement of his career as he led the UNT men's golf team at the Everett Buick GMC Classic in Little Rock, Ark., on Tuesday.
Keen showed why he was an all-conference performer as a true freshman last season with rounds of 66-68-70 to finish 12-under par for the tournament. A birdie on the 11th-hole moved Keen into a tie for first place early in the day but ultimately finished two strokes behind Lipscomb's Minas Manias who claimed medalist honors.
Keen's success was a heavy factor in North Texas earning its highest finish of the fall, tying for fourth in the team standings with Coastal Carolina. The Mean Green started slow with a first-round 289, but bounced back with a 10-under-par 278 in the second round on Monday afternoon. Mitchell Maier and Alex Huang kept UNT in red figures on Tuesday with both players shooting even par behind Keen's 70, to help the team post a 1-under 287.
"I was glad to see the team move up during the final two rounds of the tournament," head coach Luke Calcatera said. "Blake really put the team on his back this week and stepped up big. I believe in our guys a lot and know our best golf is in front of us."
The Mean Green had several players show flashes of excellence in the fall, including Maier and Huang who both tallied a top-10 finish in previous tournaments. Maier finished 25th in Little Rock at 2-under par, while Huang placed 43rd.
Noah Blaickner had a pair of strong rounds to close out the event in 35th place. After posting a 75 in the first round, the UCA transfer carded 69 and 73 to finish 1-over par. Fellow transfer Kalle Svederman had a tough tournament finishing in 77th place, but should take many positives from the fall into his final spring season.
Junior Rafael Estrada saw the wheels fall off in Tuesday's third round, but was squarely in the mix after two rounds of play where he was 2-under par.
The Mean Green will have an extended break until beginning the spring season in Cancun at the Compadres Collegiate, Feb. 1-3, 2026.
Team Scores
1. Little Rock—277-276-277=830 (-34)
2. UAB—276-295-280=851 (-13)
3. Lipscomb—276-288-288=852 (-12)
T4. Coastal Carolina—283-282-289=854 (-10)
T4. UNT—289-278-287=854 (-10)
Individual Scores
1. Minas Manias, Lipscomb—64-69-69=202 (-14)
3. Blake Keen, UNT—66-68-70=204 (-12)
T25. Mitchell Maier, UNT—73-69-72=214 (-2)
T35. Noah Blaickner, UNT—75-69-73=217 (+1)
T43. Alex Huang, UNT—75-72-72=219 (+3)
T60. Rafael Estrada, UNT—72-70-81=223 (+7)*
T77. Kalle Svederman, UNT—76-76-79=231 (+15)
*Competing as an individual
Keen showed why he was an all-conference performer as a true freshman last season with rounds of 66-68-70 to finish 12-under par for the tournament. A birdie on the 11th-hole moved Keen into a tie for first place early in the day but ultimately finished two strokes behind Lipscomb's Minas Manias who claimed medalist honors.
Keen's success was a heavy factor in North Texas earning its highest finish of the fall, tying for fourth in the team standings with Coastal Carolina. The Mean Green started slow with a first-round 289, but bounced back with a 10-under-par 278 in the second round on Monday afternoon. Mitchell Maier and Alex Huang kept UNT in red figures on Tuesday with both players shooting even par behind Keen's 70, to help the team post a 1-under 287.
"I was glad to see the team move up during the final two rounds of the tournament," head coach Luke Calcatera said. "Blake really put the team on his back this week and stepped up big. I believe in our guys a lot and know our best golf is in front of us."
The Mean Green had several players show flashes of excellence in the fall, including Maier and Huang who both tallied a top-10 finish in previous tournaments. Maier finished 25th in Little Rock at 2-under par, while Huang placed 43rd.
Noah Blaickner had a pair of strong rounds to close out the event in 35th place. After posting a 75 in the first round, the UCA transfer carded 69 and 73 to finish 1-over par. Fellow transfer Kalle Svederman had a tough tournament finishing in 77th place, but should take many positives from the fall into his final spring season.
Junior Rafael Estrada saw the wheels fall off in Tuesday's third round, but was squarely in the mix after two rounds of play where he was 2-under par.
The Mean Green will have an extended break until beginning the spring season in Cancun at the Compadres Collegiate, Feb. 1-3, 2026.
Team Scores
1. Little Rock—277-276-277=830 (-34)
2. UAB—276-295-280=851 (-13)
3. Lipscomb—276-288-288=852 (-12)
T4. Coastal Carolina—283-282-289=854 (-10)
T4. UNT—289-278-287=854 (-10)
Individual Scores
1. Minas Manias, Lipscomb—64-69-69=202 (-14)
3. Blake Keen, UNT—66-68-70=204 (-12)
T25. Mitchell Maier, UNT—73-69-72=214 (-2)
T35. Noah Blaickner, UNT—75-69-73=217 (+1)
T43. Alex Huang, UNT—75-72-72=219 (+3)
T60. Rafael Estrada, UNT—72-70-81=223 (+7)*
T77. Kalle Svederman, UNT—76-76-79=231 (+15)
*Competing as an individual
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
Bruzzy's Facility Tour | UNT Golf
Friday, November 04