The University of Hawai'i men's golf team will open the 2025-26 season at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., with the 56^th Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational, Saturday, Sept. 20 through Monday, Sept. 22 at the Eisenhower Golf Course.
 
Head coach Scott Simpson begins his fifth season leading the Rainbow Warriors, who return six lettermen from a season ago, including seniors Josh Hayashida and James Whitworth.
 
The Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational is a two-part event with the team competition be­ing played on the Blue Course and the individual event on the Silver Course. The team competition begins with tee times starting at 8:30 a.m. MT on Saturday and Sunday and at 7:30 a.m. MT on Monday. Each five-member team will count the top four scores each day. All individuals will play on the Silver Course, with a shotgun start at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday and at 8:30 a.m. on Monday.
 
UH will send a contingent of eight golfers – juniors Anson Cabello and Dane Watanabe, sophomore Nathan Szpakowicz, Whitworth, and freshman Chris Salem making up the team competition while freshmen Alec Hilgers and Cameron Combado, and sophomore Quinn Murray competing in the individual event. Hayashida will miss the season-opening event.
 
The 23-team field is hosted by Air Force and includes Boise State, Cal Baptist, CSUN, Denver, Gonzaga, UH, Idaho, Incarnate Word, Nevada, Northern Colorado, San Jose State, Southern Utah, UC Davis, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, Utah State, Utah Tech, Utah Valley, UT-Arlington, Weber State and Wyoming.
 
The tournament was renamed the Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational in 2003 in honor of the legendary coach, who led the program for 25 years. The 7,541 yard, par 72 course was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., and was ranked as the third best military course in the nation (PGA.com) and the 24th best college course (Golf Week) in the country.
 
UH made one previous appearance in the tournament in 1995, finishing the then-Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate in eighth place with an 890 total.
 
Tournament #1
What: 56^th Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational
When: Sept. 20-22, 2025
Format: 5-count-4
Where: Colorado Springs, Colo.
Course: Eisenhower Golf Course
Yardage (Par): 7,541 yards (72)
Host: Air Force
Field: Hawai'i, Air Force, Boise State, Cal Baptist, CSUN, Denver, Gonzaga, Idaho, Incarnate Word, Nevada, Northern Colorado, San Jose State, Southern Utah, UC Davis, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, Utah State, Utah Tech, Utah Valley, UT-Arlington, Weber State and Wyoming