University of Richmond Athletics
Decker Repeats as A-10 Coach of the Year
05/12/2026 | Men's Golf
Baez, Polin, Rizo-Patron Named All-Conference
RICHMOND, Va. — For the second straight year, Richmond men's golf coach Adam Decker is the Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year, the conference announced Tuesday. Two weeks after Decker and the Spiders won their first Atlantic 10 title, Decker earned his record fifth A-10 Coach of the Year award and sophomore Carson Baez, junior Quin Polin, and freshman Lucas Rizo-Patron were selected to the All-Atlantic 10 team.
Decker and the Spiders won a program record four tournaments during the season, capturing a share of the season-opening Metropolis Intercollegiate and winning at the Loyola Intercollegiate in February and the Donald Ross Collegiate Classic in March before taking the A-10 title late last month. Decker is now a five-time Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year, the first in conference history. He also won the award in 2010, 2016, 2017, and 2025.
Baez earned his second straight All-Atlantic 10 honor after leading Richmond with six top-10 finishes, 18 rounds under par, and a 70.88 scoring average during the season, the second-lowest in program history. Baez won individual medalist honors at the Loyola Intercollegiate in February with a score of 17-under par, a program record by four strokes. He placed third at the Atlantic 10 Championship, one of four top-three finishes for him this year. Baez is the third Spider to ever earn All-A-10 honors as a freshman and sophomore, joining Cole Ekert (2022-23) and Matt Lowe (2015-16).
Polin enters the NCAA Regionals second on the Spiders in top-10 finishes (five), rounds under par (13), and scoring average (72.09, sixth-lowest in a season in program history). Polin tied for fourth at last month's Atlantic 10 Championship, and his top individual finish during the season was a runner-up at the Monterrey Collegiate Classic in October. This is Polin's first career All-Atlantic 10 selection.
Rizo-Patron captured the individual title at the Atlantic 10 Championship for his first collegiate win, earning the A-10's Most Outstanding Rookie Award in the process. He shot 13-under par, matching the second-lowest tournament score in program history, to become Richmond's first individual conference champion since 2014 (Danny Pizetoski). Rizo-Patron was named A-10 Rookie of the Week four times during his freshman campaign and his 11 rounds under par were third most among Spiders.
Richmond's three All-Conference selections were its most since 2010 (three) and tied with VCU for the most of any team.
Next up for the Spiders is the NCAA Regionals at Bermuda Run Country Club outside Winston-Salem, N.C., from May 18-20.
Decker and the Spiders won a program record four tournaments during the season, capturing a share of the season-opening Metropolis Intercollegiate and winning at the Loyola Intercollegiate in February and the Donald Ross Collegiate Classic in March before taking the A-10 title late last month. Decker is now a five-time Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year, the first in conference history. He also won the award in 2010, 2016, 2017, and 2025.
Baez earned his second straight All-Atlantic 10 honor after leading Richmond with six top-10 finishes, 18 rounds under par, and a 70.88 scoring average during the season, the second-lowest in program history. Baez won individual medalist honors at the Loyola Intercollegiate in February with a score of 17-under par, a program record by four strokes. He placed third at the Atlantic 10 Championship, one of four top-three finishes for him this year. Baez is the third Spider to ever earn All-A-10 honors as a freshman and sophomore, joining Cole Ekert (2022-23) and Matt Lowe (2015-16).
Polin enters the NCAA Regionals second on the Spiders in top-10 finishes (five), rounds under par (13), and scoring average (72.09, sixth-lowest in a season in program history). Polin tied for fourth at last month's Atlantic 10 Championship, and his top individual finish during the season was a runner-up at the Monterrey Collegiate Classic in October. This is Polin's first career All-Atlantic 10 selection.
Rizo-Patron captured the individual title at the Atlantic 10 Championship for his first collegiate win, earning the A-10's Most Outstanding Rookie Award in the process. He shot 13-under par, matching the second-lowest tournament score in program history, to become Richmond's first individual conference champion since 2014 (Danny Pizetoski). Rizo-Patron was named A-10 Rookie of the Week four times during his freshman campaign and his 11 rounds under par were third most among Spiders.
Richmond's three All-Conference selections were its most since 2010 (three) and tied with VCU for the most of any team.
Next up for the Spiders is the NCAA Regionals at Bermuda Run Country Club outside Winston-Salem, N.C., from May 18-20.
Players Mentioned
Giles-Spratley Collegiate Post
Tuesday, April 07
Men's Golf Weekend Preview
Friday, March 06
Richmond Men's Golf
Tuesday, July 08
Men's Golf Making a Run
Monday, March 31