CHICO, Calif. – Naoki Easterday capped off an outstanding senior season by earning NCAA Division II PING All-America Honorable Mention honors.
The Portland, Oregon, native was a key contributor to the Wildcats throughout the 2025-26 campaign, finishing the season ranked No. 42 nationally and No. 2 in the West Region. Remarkably, Easterday finished over par in just one of the 11 tournaments he competed in this season.
Easterday recorded two tournament victories and consistently placed himself in contention, finishing in the top five seven times throughout the year. He concluded the season with a scoring average of 71.0, averaging one stroke under par per round. His season scoring mark ranks second in Chico State history relative to par, trailing only J.J. Jakovac's 2004 campaign.
His final season began in impressive fashion at the 2025 Wildcat Classic, where he fired a tournament score of 13-under par to earn medalist honors and tie the program's 54-hole scoring record.
Easterday also played a pivotal role in one of the program's most memorable moments in recent years. He helped lead Chico State to the 2026 CCAA Championship, as the Wildcats rallied on the final day before defeating Cal State San Bernardino in a dramatic three-hole playoff. The victory secured the program's first conference title since 2018.
Two weeks later, Chico State competed at the NCAA Division II West/South Central Super Regional at The Reserve at Spanos Park. Easterday once again paced the Wildcats, finishing tied for eighth in the final regional tournament of his collegiate career.
The All-America honor adds to an impressive list of postseason accolades for Easterday, who was also named the 2026 CCAA Player of the Year and earned PING All-West Region recognition. This is the senior's first All-American honor of his career, tying off a career of impressive golf with Chico State.
Season Finishes:
· NCAA DII West/South Central Regional: 8th/122 | -2
· 2026 CCAA Men's Golf Championships: 5th/41 | E
· Hanny/Stanislaus Invitational: 3rd/67 | -2
· 2026 Palm Valley Classic: 1st/108 | -12
· Coyote Classic: 3rd/80 | -6
· Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout: 11th/102 | -4
· CSU San Marcos Men's Fujikura Invitational: 2nd/75 | -3
· Otter Invitational: 12th/95 | +5
· National Preview: 4th/94 | -10
· SMU Bishop Invitational: 21st/73 | E
· 2025 Chico State Wildcat Classic: 1st/86 | -13
