The Valparaiso University men’s golf program has announced the addition of Sam Schmidt (College Station, Texas / College Station), who joins the program as a transfer from Southern Nazarene University for the 2024-25 season.

“Our team is thrilled to add Sam Schmidt to our roster for this season,” head coach Dave Gring said. “Sam brings a wealth of experience to our team, playing for a quality Division-II program in Southern Nazarene University for the past three years. He has tremendous tournament experience, playing a wide variety of golf courses and golf conditions with his time in Oklahoma City. Sam has been the beneficiary of a great support system, starting with his parents who have coached at very high-level Division-I sports programs, in addition to his swing coach and former coach at Southern Nazarene.”

Schmidt was a second-team all-district golfer in 2019 while representing College Station High School in College State, Texas. He was a three-time state qualifier for the Tigers, reaching state in 2017, 2018 and 2019 before the 2020 season was cut short due to COVID-19. He went on to earn Great American Conference Honorable Mention at Southern Nazarene in 2023 and 2024 and picked up one tournament win at the Division-II level.

Schmidt earned Great American Conference Scholar-Athlete honors in 2024. During his prep days, he also competed in football and basketball. Away from the golf course, Schmidt enjoys watching college football, hunting, fishing and working on his brand, Pure Athletics.

“Sam is a talented ball-striker, being able to work the ball both directions with power and finesse,” Gring said. “His short game is exemplary, and I’ve enjoyed watching the attention to detail that he makes with both his putting and chipping pre-shot routines. While he has a calm persona, his work ethic is exemplary and he really enjoys practicing. He will finish an 18-hole round and march right over to the practice tee to work on some more areas of his game. Sam has performed very well in the classroom, and his achievements on the golf course and in the classroom are an excellent match for our golf program. We welcome Sam to the Valpo Family, and we look forward to his competitive spirit throughout our season!”