Eastern Michigan Athletics
EMU Places Four on Cobalt Golf All-America Scholar List
8/3/2026 12:45:00 PM | Men's Golf
Box, Chan, McDonald-O’Brien, and Mihaich each recognized for the 2025-26 season
NORMAN, Okla. (EMUEagles.com) -- Four members of the Eastern Michigan University men's golf program were honored as 2025-26 NCAA Division I Cobalt Golf All-America Scholars as announced by the Golf Coaches Association of American (GCAA). Charlie Box, Tim Chan, Rory McDonald-O'Brien, and Leo Mihaich were all selected for the honors that were announced Aug. 3.
To be eligible for Cobalt Golf All-America Scholar selection, an individual must be a sophomore, junior or senior both academically and athletically in NCAA Division I, II, III, and NAIA, or receiving their associate's degree and in their last year of athletic eligibility in the NJCAA. In addition, they must participate in 50% of their team's competitive rounds, have a stroke average under 76.0 in NCAA Division I, and maintain a minimum cumulative career grade-point average of 3.2. A recipient must also be of high moral character and be in good standing at their college or university.
The four Eagles were among 649 NCAA Division I athletes from across 210 schools that earned 2025-26 Cobalt Golf All-America Scholar honors this season as representatives from 81 schools, including EMU, having four players named to the ledger.
All told, the four selections are tied for the second-highest total in a single season in program history with the 2016-17, and 2020-21 Eastern teams while the 2019-20 squad holds the record with its five selections. Individually, the four honors brought the program's total to 46 awards earned by 27 different student-athletes with McDonald-O'Brien (Shrewsbury, England/Shrewsbury School/USC-Aiken), who also was honored following the 2024-25 season, becoming the 17th different EMU student-athlete to earn multiple academic honors from the GCAA and the first since both Ty Celone and Zach Mason were honored following the 2019-20, 2020-21, and 2021-22 seasons.
While McDonald-O'Brien and Chan (Hong Kong, China/Loretto School/VCU) earned their lone academic honors of the season, both Box (Leicester, England/Wreake Valley Academy/Hutchinson CC) and Mihaich (Bell Ville, Argentina/Figuero Alcorta Normal School/Oklahoma Christian) each added to their academic hauls from the 2025-26 campaign. Mihaich garnered his third award of the season as he was first named to the Mid-American Conference All-Academic squad before earning a place on the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team. Box, the 2025-26 MAC Golfer of the Year, also was named to the MAC All-Academic squad.
2025-26 NCAA Division I Cobalt Golf All-America Scholars
Eastern Michigan recipients
Charlie Box
Tim Chan
Rory McDonald-O'Brien
Leo Mihaich
EMU's All-Time GCAA All-America Scholar Honorees
27 have earned 46 total honors w/ 17 having earned multiple awards
Michael Blair • 2014, 2015
Charlie Box • 2026
Beau Breault • 2018, 2019
Nick Carbary • 2010, 2011
Ty Celone • 2020, 2021, 2022
Tim Chan • 2026
Cougar Collins • 2020, 2021
Rob Couture • 1997, 1998
Graham Hill • 2007
Cam Kellett • 2023
Brad Larente • 2010
Tyler Lewis • 2018
Korey Mahoney • 2005, 2006
Zack Mason • 2020, 2021, 2022
Ed Maunder • 1999
Rory McDonald-O'Brien • 2025, 2026
Leo Mihaich • 2026
Jared Multer • 2015, 2017
Jon Paupore • 1995, 1996
Tyler Rayman • 2020, 2021
Kyle Rodes • 2016, 2017
Nic Ross • 2017, 2018
MJ Smith • 2022
Zach Sudinsky • 2019, 2020
Max Watson • 2022
Philippe Weppernig • 2016, 2017
Brett White • 2015, 2016
To be eligible for Cobalt Golf All-America Scholar selection, an individual must be a sophomore, junior or senior both academically and athletically in NCAA Division I, II, III, and NAIA, or receiving their associate's degree and in their last year of athletic eligibility in the NJCAA. In addition, they must participate in 50% of their team's competitive rounds, have a stroke average under 76.0 in NCAA Division I, and maintain a minimum cumulative career grade-point average of 3.2. A recipient must also be of high moral character and be in good standing at their college or university.
The four Eagles were among 649 NCAA Division I athletes from across 210 schools that earned 2025-26 Cobalt Golf All-America Scholar honors this season as representatives from 81 schools, including EMU, having four players named to the ledger.
All told, the four selections are tied for the second-highest total in a single season in program history with the 2016-17, and 2020-21 Eastern teams while the 2019-20 squad holds the record with its five selections. Individually, the four honors brought the program's total to 46 awards earned by 27 different student-athletes with McDonald-O'Brien (Shrewsbury, England/Shrewsbury School/USC-Aiken), who also was honored following the 2024-25 season, becoming the 17th different EMU student-athlete to earn multiple academic honors from the GCAA and the first since both Ty Celone and Zach Mason were honored following the 2019-20, 2020-21, and 2021-22 seasons.
While McDonald-O'Brien and Chan (Hong Kong, China/Loretto School/VCU) earned their lone academic honors of the season, both Box (Leicester, England/Wreake Valley Academy/Hutchinson CC) and Mihaich (Bell Ville, Argentina/Figuero Alcorta Normal School/Oklahoma Christian) each added to their academic hauls from the 2025-26 campaign. Mihaich garnered his third award of the season as he was first named to the Mid-American Conference All-Academic squad before earning a place on the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team. Box, the 2025-26 MAC Golfer of the Year, also was named to the MAC All-Academic squad.
2025-26 NCAA Division I Cobalt Golf All-America Scholars
Eastern Michigan recipients
Charlie Box
Tim Chan
Rory McDonald-O'Brien
Leo Mihaich
EMU's All-Time GCAA All-America Scholar Honorees
27 have earned 46 total honors w/ 17 having earned multiple awards
Michael Blair • 2014, 2015
Charlie Box • 2026
Beau Breault • 2018, 2019
Nick Carbary • 2010, 2011
Ty Celone • 2020, 2021, 2022
Tim Chan • 2026
Cougar Collins • 2020, 2021
Rob Couture • 1997, 1998
Graham Hill • 2007
Cam Kellett • 2023
Brad Larente • 2010
Tyler Lewis • 2018
Korey Mahoney • 2005, 2006
Zack Mason • 2020, 2021, 2022
Ed Maunder • 1999
Rory McDonald-O'Brien • 2025, 2026
Leo Mihaich • 2026
Jared Multer • 2015, 2017
Jon Paupore • 1995, 1996
Tyler Rayman • 2020, 2021
Kyle Rodes • 2016, 2017
Nic Ross • 2017, 2018
MJ Smith • 2022
Zach Sudinsky • 2019, 2020
Max Watson • 2022
Philippe Weppernig • 2016, 2017
Brett White • 2015, 2016
Players Mentioned
Saturday, May 02
Tuesday, April 21
Wednesday, February 25
Monday, December 01