BILOXI, Miss. (June 2, 2026) – The Board of Directors for the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic Foundation, Inc. are excited to announce the return of the Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational to its annual fourth year. The University of Mississippi, Mississippi State University, and the University of Southern Mississippi will once again host the NCAA event on Oct. 16-19, 2026. Participating teams include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida State, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, LSU, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wake Forest, and Wisconsin.

“Coming on the heels of an SEC Championship, we are proud to play host to some of the top teams in the country,” said SEC Coach of the Year and Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational Co-Host Chris Malloy, whose Ole Miss team defeated Florida for the conference title. “I truly do think this is just the beginning for this group, and I can't wait to see what's ahead.”

Ole Miss and Mississippi State advanced to the NCAA Championships at Omni La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, Calif., with senior Cameron Tankersly advancing to the final day of stroke play. Six of the 14 teams in the 2026 FOCI made the NCAA championship field.

“We hosted a PGA event for more than a dozen years, and it’s an honor to host the Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational for the fourth year,” said MGM Regional President of Operations/Beau Rivage & COO Brandon Dardeau. “Half the teams in the field are ranked in the Top 25. With a field like this, the Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational is shaping up to be one of collegiate golf’s premier events.”

The 2025 tournament finished with LSU and Alabama sharing team honors after a furious finish on the back nine. LSU’s Arni Sveinsson earned low medalist honors.

MGRCF Board Chairman, Billy Thornton, said, “We are proud to showcase our Gulf Coast to visitors from across the country, while also bringing in some of America’s future golf pros to an extraordinary, free event that also gives back to our community. It’s a win for all!”

This premier tournament will feature 14 of the nation’s top golf programs at Mississippi’s top course, the Tom Fazio-designed Fallen Oak, which has hosted the world’s best golfers for PGA TOUR Champions events, and now the next generation of champions will compete on one of the most spectacular courses in the United States.

The three-day, 54-hole tournament will begin on Saturday, Oct. 17 and will conclude on Monday, Oct. 19. Each university will compete for the team championship with five male student-athletes playing and four low scores counting each day. A collegiate-am day will precede the tournament on Friday, Oct. 16., at 8 a.m.  Make-A-Wish Mississippi is the designated charity for the event. The organization received $5,000 from the tournament in 2025.

The Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational will offer a family-friendly College Game Day atmosphere with tailgating and the re-creation of the Ole Miss Grove on the finishing hole. Everyone is invited and encouraged to wear school colors and cheer on their team. The event is open to the public from Saturday through Monday. Visit our website for more information such as schedules and sponsorship opportunities at fallenoakinvitational.com

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CONTACTS:

Ashley Comstock, Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational Tournament Director, 228.234.9953, FallenOakCollegiate@gmail.com

Mary Cracchiolo, Fallen Oak/Beau Rivage, 228.547.8473, mspain@mgmresorts.com

ABOUT FALLEN OAK

The Tom Fazio-designed Fallen Oak joins the heralded Shadow Creek as the only golf courses built by MGM Resorts International for its guests. Located 15 minutes outside of Biloxi at the edge of the DeSoto National Forest, Fallen Oak is exclusive to guests of Beau Rivage and has earned more than 30 national honors for a masterful design that epitomizes strategy from tee to green as it encompasses the area’s natural terrain and beauty. The 7,487-yard course features dramatic elevation changes rare for a Gulf Coast design and played host to the PGA TOUR Champions Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic for more than a decade. Since opening in 2008, Fallen Oak has received numerous compliments from many of the game’s legends for its beauty, design and the quiet elegance found in many of the world’s great golf courses. or www.beaurivage.com