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Golfweek's 2024-25 preseason men's college golf All-Americans

Luke Clanton waves after making his putt on the sixth hole during the third round of the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort & C.C. (Course No. 2) in Village of Pinehurst, N.C. on Saturday, June 15, 2024. (Jeff Haynes/USGA)
Luke Clanton waves after making his putt on the sixth hole during the third round of the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort & C.C. (Course No. 2) in Village of Pinehurst, N.C. on Saturday, June 15, 2024. (Jeff Haynes/USGA)

The 2024-25 college golf season is here, which has our minds looking ahead to the postseason awards.

It's never too early to look ahead and project who the best players in the country will be this season

Highlighting Golfweek's 2024-25 preseason men's college golf All-Americans is Luke Clanton, the junior at Florida State who had a summer to remember. After winning three straight events in the spring, he helped Florida State to a runner-up finish at the NCAA Championship. Then, over the summer, he finished in the top 10 three times on the PGA Tour, the first amateur to do so since Jack Nicklaus in 1961, and he made the Round of 32 at the U.S. Amateur.

Here's a look at Golfweek's 2024-25 preseason men's college golf All-Americans.

Josele Ballester, Arizona State

Jose Luis Ballester poses with the Havemeyer trophy after winning the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024. (Chris Keane/USGA)
Jose Luis Ballester poses with the Havemeyer trophy after winning the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024. (Chris Keane/USGA)

As if Ballester's stock couldn't go any higher, he won the 2024 U.S. Amateur this summer at Hazeltine National in Minnesota. He remains in search of his first collegiate win, but Ballester has been one of Arizona State's best player for three years.

Jackson Buchanan, Illinois

Jackson Buchanan plays his tee shot on the seventh hole during the semifinals of the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Chris Keane/USGA)
Jackson Buchanan plays his tee shot on the seventh hole during the semifinals of the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Chris Keane/USGA)

Buchanan is another player who made a run at the 2024 U.S. Amateur, making it to the semifinals. He has been a stalwart for Illinois throughout his entire career, but as a senior, he's set up for his best season yet.

Luke Clanton, Florida State

Luke Clanton plays a shot from a bunker on the fifth hole during the round of 32 of the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. (Chris Keane/USGA)
Luke Clanton plays a shot from a bunker on the fifth hole during the round of 32 of the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. (Chris Keane/USGA)

What more can you say about Clanton? He won three times in the spring (in three straight events) and then had one of the best summers by an amateur in the professional ranks ever. Don't expect a drop-off from the World No. 1.

David Ford, North Carolina

David Ford plays his tee shot on the 13th hole during the round of 64 of the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (Chris Keane/USGA)
David Ford plays his tee shot on the 13th hole during the round of 64 of the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (Chris Keane/USGA)

Ford has been a prominent force in North Carolina's lineup since his first day on campus. Now a senior, he has one more season to prove his worth in preparation for the professional game.

Ian Gilligan, Florida

Ian Gilligan plays his tee shot on the third hole during the first round of stroke play of the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. on Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. (Mike Ehrmann/USGA)
Ian Gilligan plays his tee shot on the third hole during the first round of stroke play of the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. on Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. (Mike Ehrmann/USGA)

Gilligan, who transferred to Florida from Long Beach State ahead of his junior year, won the Western Amateur this summer in a 29-hole marathon. He remains one of the best players in college, and don't expect that to change this season.

Ben James, Virginia

Benjamin James plays his second shot from a bunker on the third hole during the second round of stroke play of the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Chaska Town Course in Chaska, Minn. on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. (Chris Keane/USGA)
Benjamin James plays his second shot from a bunker on the third hole during the second round of stroke play of the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Chaska Town Course in Chaska, Minn. on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. (Chris Keane/USGA)

James, the 2023 Phil Mickelson Award winner, didn't have a sophomore season like he would've preferred. Expect him to have a year closer to his five-win freshman season as a junior.

Jackson Koivun, Auburn

Jackson Koivun plays his shot from the fifth tee during the second round of the 2024 Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club. (Photo: Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Jackson Koivun plays his shot from the fifth tee during the second round of the 2024 Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club. (Photo: Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Koivun was the consensus national Player of the Year as a freshman, and for good reason. He also helped the Tigers win their first NCAA Men's Golf Championship, and now he returns for more as a sophomore.

Gordon Sargent, Vanderbilt

Gordon Sargent plays his second shot on the 11th hole during the round of 64 of the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (Chris Keane/USGA)
Gordon Sargent plays his second shot on the 11th hole during the round of 64 of the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (Chris Keane/USGA)

Sargent is back for one final ride in college golf, and with a PGA Tour card waiting for him after the NCAA Championship, don't expect Sargent to leave anything on the table the next eight months as he closes his amateur career.

Preston Summerhays, Arizona State

Preston Summerhays plays his tee shot on the fourth hole during the round of 64 of the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (Chris Keane/USGA)
Preston Summerhays plays his tee shot on the fourth hole during the round of 64 of the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (Chris Keane/USGA)

Summerhays has plenty to play for this spring. He's No. 1 in the PGA Tour University rankings for the Class of 2025, meaning a Tour card is on the line come season's end.

Brendan Valdes, Auburn

Brendan Valdes plays his tee shot on the fifth hole during the round of 32 of the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. (Chris Keane/USGA)
Brendan Valdes plays his tee shot on the fifth hole during the round of 32 of the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. (Chris Keane/USGA)

Valdes was another key piece for the Tigers in their national championship run, and he had a strong summer that included a run into the quarterfinals at the U.S. Amateur.

Second team

Georgia Tech's Hiroshi Tai won the 2024 NCAA Men's Golf Championship individual title. (Photo: Georgia Tech Athletics)
Georgia Tech's Hiroshi Tai won the 2024 NCAA Men's Golf Championship individual title. (Photo: Georgia Tech Athletics)

Andrew Goodman, Oklahoma

Michael La Sasso, Ole Miss

Bryan Lee, Virginia

Christiaan Maas, Texas

Phichaksn Maichon, Texas A&M

Omar Morales, UCLA

Tommy Morrison, Texas

Calum Scott, Texas Tech

Hiroshi Tai, Georgia Tech

Jackson Van Paris, Vanderbilt

Third team

Max Herendeen of the Illinois Fighting Illini hits during the Division I Men’s Golf Championship held at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa on May 26, 2024 in Carlsbad, California. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
Max Herendeen of the Illinois Fighting Illini hits during the Division I Men’s Golf Championship held at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa on May 26, 2024 in Carlsbad, California. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Jack Bigham, Florida State

Maxwell Ford, North Carolina

Josiah Gilbert, Auburn

Max Herendeen, Illinois

Jackson Herrington, Tennessee

Filip Jakubcik, Arizona

Michael Mjaaseth, Arizona State

Luke Potter, Texas

Jase Summy, Oklahoma

Wells Williams, Vanderbilt

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Golfweek's 2024-25 preseason men's college golf All-Americans