Skyhawks Ink Three Talented Freshmen For 2026-27 Season
11/12/2025 12:34:00 PM | Golf
MARTIN, Tenn. – University of Tennessee at Martin head golf coach Austin Swafford has signed a trio of freshmen for the 2026-27 campaign as Conner Hill (Nashville, Tenn.), Regan Kueker (Wamego, Kan.) and Layton Richey (Bowling Green, Ky.) have each committed to the Skyhawks.
"These three players all love to play the game of golf," Swafford said. "I can see that when I've watched them play or talked to them about certain tournaments. That's one of the main things I look for is players who just love to play. Our program is grateful to have them."Hill will join UT Martin out of Christ Presbyterian Academy, where he made three TSSAA state championship appearances and was coached by Jim Williams. He was the 2025 champion of the Sneds Tournament of Champions (133; 65-68) while also taking second place honors at the Sneds Tour Masters at Harrison Bay (139; 71-68) and Sneds Tour Masters at River Bend (144; 74-70). He shot back-to-back 70's at the Tennessee PGA Junior Championship and came away with a three-round tally of 214 (73-70-71) at the AJGA Justin Thomas Junior Championship. He also earned top-10 finishes at the Goodpasture Invitational (68, third), Harpeth Hills Invitational (72, third), FRA Invitational (73, fifth) and the TSSAA Division II-AA State Championship, carding a 145 (70-75) to place sixth in the field. He is ranked 12th in the state of Tennessee in the Class of 2026 according to the Junior Golf Scoreboard.
"Conner is coming in as one of the best players in our state and is just a great athlete," Swafford said. "He has the tools, physical and mental, that can help take his game to new levels and we are exited to have him join our program."
A part of three straight Kansas 4A team state championships under head coach Scott Kitch at Wamego High School, Kueker accounted for 10 top-10 finishes in a three-month span (April through June) in 2025 alone. That included five notable medalist wins at the Wamego Country Club (70), Chapman (72), Hesston and Sand Creek Station (140; 68-72), NCKL 2025 Gold Championship at Colbert Hills (70) and Regionals at Wamego Country Club (73). He also placed second at the Kansas 4A State Championship tournament (143; 70-73) and placed seventh at the US Junior Amateur Qualifier (70) in Ames, Iowa. He also produced strong showings at the AJGA Wichita Junior Championship in August (220; 76-74-70), the Notah Begay Regional-Firekeeper (145; 70-75), the Kansas Junior Amateur (219; 74-70-75) and the AJGA Ann Arbor Preview, finishing 15th after carding a 68 in the second round. He also qualified and made the cut at the AJGA Wyndham Clark Westminster Tournament in June and was part of the 40th Annual Kansas-Nebraska Junior Cup Matches in August.
"Regan has had a great spring and summer of tournament golf," Swafford said. "He's played all over the country and finished very well in a few AJGA tournaments. He works extremely hard and I believe his best golf is still ahead of him."
Richey is currently the fifth-ranked prospect in his class in the state of Kentucky by Junior Golf Scoreboard as he has competed under head coach Garrett Kastelic at Greenwood High School. A two-time first-team all-state and three-time All-Region first team performer, Richey finished first by five strokes at the 900-plus man field in the 2024 Hurricane Junior Golf Tour National Championship event in Florida with a 142 (72-70) and placed second at the Golf Week Mammoth Park tournament with a 134 (66-68). He placed fifth at the Kentucky All-State Championship (139; 71-68), eighth at the Sneds Elite event (146; 74-72) and 10th at the Kentucky Junior Amateur (220; 77-70-73).
"Layton has a ton of tournament experience and is ranked as one of the top players in his class out of Kentucky," Swafford said. "He also comes from a fantastic junior program and home course at Olde Stone that will benefit him at our level."
These three pledge to a UT Martin program that has produced three Ohio Valley Conference team championships and five OVC individual medalists since 2015.
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