Jack Cundiff earns Mendenhall Award in 2026 GCSAA Scholars Competition

 Jack Cundiff, an undergraduate student at North Carolina State University, is the winner of the Mendenhall Award of $6,000 in the 2026 Scholars Competition offered through the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).

The GCSAA Scholars Competition is funded by the Robert Trent Jones Endowment and administered by the GCSAA Foundation. It was developed to recognize outstanding students working toward careers in golf course management or other related areas of the golf course industry.

The scholarships range from $500 to $6,000. Applicants must be enrolled in a recognized undergraduate program in a major field related to turf management, have completed at least 24 credit hours or the equivalent of one year of full-time study of the appropriate major and be a member of GCSAA.

After golf became his main outlet during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cundiff joined the turf program at Brentsville District High School in Nokesville, Va., which helped him land his first job at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Va. Cundiff realized he didn’t just want to play golf – he wanted to be the one responsible for setting the stage.

Cundiff, who is obtaining his bachelor’s degree in crop and soil sciences with an emphasis in turfgrass science, has served as a seasonal greenskeeper at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club and The Country Club of Fairfax (Va.), and he completed an internship at Chevy Chase (Md.) Club. He has been an undergraduate turfgrass science research assistant since October 2024 and has been a turfgrass intern at The Tree Farm Operating Co. LLC in Batesburg, S.C., since May. 

“Winning the Mendenhall Award is a massive honor that validates the hard work I’ve put in, both in the classroom and out on the course,” said Cundiff. “It means a lot to know that the GCSAA sees my potential to become a successful golf course superintendent. Having that kind of industry support behind me is incredibly motivating as I finish out my degree.”

Related – GCSAA announces 2026 Par Aide Garske Grant winners

The top award of the GCSAA Scholars Competition is named for the late Chet Mendenhall, who was a charter member of GCSAA, a past president (1948) and recipient of the association’s Distinguished Service Award (1986). Along with this award, Cundiff will also receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2027 GCSAA Conference and Trade Show, Jan. 15-21, in New Orleans.

Other award winners are:

• Jaime Canal Campos, Ourense, Galicia, Spain, Pennsylvania State University, Ambassador Award, $2,500
• Dionicio Azuara, Fairfield, Texas, Texas A&M University, Scholars Award, $2,000
• William Perkins, Mulvane, Kan., Kansas State University, Scholars Award, $1,500
• Joseph Rader, Belleview, Wash., Pennsylvania State University, Scholars Award, $1,500
• Alic Shuster, Menomonee Falls, Wis., Pennsylvania State University, Scholars Award, $1,500
• Christopher Kelly, Cazenovia, N.Y., SUNY Delhi, Scholars Award, $1,000
• Brian Seltzer, Boston, Mass., Pennsylvania State University, Scholars Award, $1,000
• Gavin Trout, Loris, S.C., Clemson University, Scholars Award, $1,000
• William MacNellis, Midland, Mich., Michigan State University, Scholars Award, $750
• Jackson Rinebold, Zionsville, Ind., Purdue University, Scholars Award, $750
• Samuel Wiesepape, College Station, Texas, Oklahoma State University, Scholars Award, $750
• Gavin Wilson, Wamego, Kan., Pennsylvania State University, Scholars Award, $750
• Blake Buchanan, Gainesville, Va., Pennsylvania State University, Merit Award, $500
• Jett Giza, Keene, N.H., University of Massachusetts – Amherst, Merit Award, $500
• Andrew Hart, Bluffton, S.C., Clemson University, Merit Award, $500
• Cooper Hastings, Norwalk, Iowa, Iowa State University, Merit Award, $500
• Sam Hjortland, Stoughton, Wis., Pennsylvania State University, Merit Award, $500
• Sarah McLaurin, McColl, S.C., Clemson University, Merit Award, $500
• Carter Peters, Hiawatha, Kan., Kansas State University, Merit Award, $500
• Maria Lourdes Velasco, Murcia, Spain, Michigan State University, Merit Award, $500

About GCSAA

The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) is a leading golf organization in the United States. Its focus is on golf course management, and since 1926 GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the U.S. and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to 21,000 members in more than 78 countries. The association’s mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and improve communities through the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. Visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org.

The GCSAA Foundation is the philanthropic organization of the GCSAA. Its mission is to secure funding and support to strengthen advocacy, education, and research that advances the work of golf course management professionals. Visit the Foundation at www.gcsaa.org/foundation.