LAREDO, Texas – The Huskies commenced the Border Olympics with a 11-over par, 299 team total, before bouncing back with a five-over par, 293, on the 36-hole, day one at Laredo Country Club.

Ben Caton led the way for the Huskies after an opening round one-under par, 71, including five birdies. The England native quickly found his form making a trio of birdies at the 17^th thru the 1^st holes. After a minor hiccup at the par-4, 2^nd hole, the senior bounced back with a birdie at the par-5, 9^th hole, and concluded round one with a birdie at the par-5, 13^th hole. Caton opened the second round with seven straight pars before a double-bogey at the par-4, 3^rd hole, resulted in a three-over par, 75, in the second round to finish day one in a tie for 45^th place at two-over par.

Roy Barrera capped off day one with an even-par, 72, in the second round after posting a four-over par, 76, in the opening round. The sophomore tallied a lone birdie in the first round at the par-5, 13^th hole, before adding back-to-back birdies at the 9^th and 10^th holes in round two. The Boerne native sits in a tie for 61^st place at four-over par through 36-holes.

Cooper New and Brooks Pawlak finished opening day in a tie for 69^th at five-over par. New carded a lone birdie in round one at the par-5, 1^st hole, and added two more birdies in round two at the 8^th and 10^th holes en route to a 77-72-149 total on day one. Pawlak battled back from a five-over par through 11 holes start, rolling in a birdie at the par-5, 9^th hole, and drained a birdie at his last hole, the par-4, 13^th hole, to fire an opening round three-over par, 75. The Kingwood native added three birdies in the second round at the 8^th, 11^th and 17^th holes to post a two-over par, 74.

Benjamin Dabos rounds out the Husky lineup carding back-to-back five-over par, 77, on opening day. After recording 13 pars in the opening round, the freshman holed a birdie at the par-4, 15^th hole, and added another birdie at the par-4, 6^th hole, to finish day one in a tie for 84^th place at 10-over par.

Illinois State holds the 36-hole lead at 23-under par after posting rounds of eight-under par, 280, and 15-under par, 273. North Texas sits in 2^nd place at 15-under par, eight-shots back. Illinois State's Valentin Peugnet holds the individual lead at 12-under par carding rounds of four-under par, 68, and eight-under par, 64, on day one. Round one leader, North Texas's Cody Winkler, sits one-shot back after rounds of 65-66.

The Huskies will conclude the 2024 Border Olympics on Tuesday playing the final 18-holes alongside Bowling Green, Lamar, and New Mexico State starting on holes 13 through 15.

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