PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – The No. 3 University of North Georgia (UNG) men's golf team advanced to the 2025 NCAA Division II Men's Golf National Semifinals Thursday morning after defeating No. 9 Florida Southern (FSC) 3-2 in the Quarterfinal Match of medal match play.

The Nighthawks were victorious in the second, fourth and fifth matches against the Mocs to earn the necessary three points and advance to the next round of the National Championship.

Graduate student Jack Vajda defeated FSC's Jaylen Abbas by four shots in the medal match after shooting a 1-over 73 Thursday morning. 

Vajda won the second hole–the 450-yard, par-4 11th–by two strokes with a par and never conceded the lead after that. He shot a 34 on the back nine as the Nighthawks teed off on hole 10 to start the day, giving him a four-shot lead at the turn. 

Vajda tied Abbas with a 39 on the front nine to finish the match and earn the first point of the day for UNG, tying the overall match at 1-1. 

While the Mocs regained the lead with a 4 UP win in the third match, the Nighthawks were in firm control of the final two matches on the course.

Senior Hughes Threlkeld took a 1 UP lead after a birdie at the par-3 15th hole and held that lead at the turn. On the front nine he shot a 3-under 33 to pull away from Freddie Parlby and win his match 5 UP to tie the overall match 2-2.

In the last match, 2025 NCAA Division II Individual National Champion Hunter Smith also ran away from his opponent.

The junior remained tied with Max Barile through the first four holes of the match. Smith then birdied 14 and 15 to take a 3 UP lead as Barile bogeyed and parred respectively. 

Smith maintained the 3 UP lead at the turn and into the front nine before expanding on the advantage with a birdie at par-5 3rd hole. 

Barile gained a shot at the par-5 6th, but Smith quickly got it back with a par at 7 as Barile bogeyed. Smith cemented the victory for himself and the Nighthawks when he parred the final hole while Barile bogeyed. 

With the victory, UNG advanced to the National Semifinal match to rematch No. 1 Colorado Christian (CCU), who defeated the Nighthawks in the National Championship a season ago. 

However, just before both teams made the turn in the semifinal match, back-to-back lightning delays interrupted play. 

After nearly an hour-long delay, both teams took the course again. 

As they raced to complete the match, it became evident that a lack of daylight would limit the completion of the match. 

The first two matches were able to finish before the darkness delay, both of which belonged to CCU. 

Now the Nighthawks and Cougars will resume their match Friday morning at 7:30 a.m. 

CCU holds a 2-0 lead in the overall match as Threlkeld, sophomore Colby Bennett and Smith will return to the course Friday morning to complete the match. 

The winner will advance to the National Championship match to face No. 2 West Florida who defeated No. 14 Wingate 3.5-1.5 in the other semifinal showdown.