Doña Ana Community College (DACC) hosted its 23rd Annual Golf Tournament with a theme of “Aggie Up” on Friday, Oct. 10, at the New Mexico State University Golf Course.
Pictured left to right: Aggie Government Relations, Clayton Abbey, Las Cruces Mayor Eric Enriquez and businessman Scott Scanland pose for a photo. Oct. 10, 2025. (David Castañeda)
The event kicked off with an 8 a.m. shotgun start. Students, faculty, local businesses, and members of the community gathered for a day of friendly competition and support for student success.
Each year, the tournament raises funds to support academic scholarships for students. One of the main beneficiaries is the FirstLight Comfort Casita, DACC’s on-campus food pantry, which serves hundreds of students each month. The event plays a crucial role in helping students with financial issues that may prevent them from completing their education.
According to Aggie Saltman, Development Officer at DACC, the tournament continues to be a major source of support for students.
“This tournament is quite beneficial to the college and its students,” Saltman said. “The scholarships help with the cost of tuition and fees, allowing DACC students to focus on their education without the stress of financial hardship.”
Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, donors, and players, this year’s tournament raised approximately $30,000. The funds from this event allowed DACC to award $1,000 scholarships to ten students—two from each of the college’s five academic divisions, including Health Sciences, Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and other key programs.
A raffle winner celebrates their victory. Oct. 10, 2025. (David Castañeda)
“I really have to credit everyone who helped put this event together, especially our generous sponsors,” said Kristi Martin, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Relationships at Doña Ana Community College. “They are truly essential to the success of this event and to the success of our students.”
The tournament brought out some friendly competition between teams. In first place, team Archetti and Loui claimed their successes. Following them was Michael Wood in second place, and Pioneer Bank in third. In addition to the competition, players and guests enjoyed raffles and giveaways donated by local sponsors.
“It was really a lot of fun. Coming out to play while knowing we were supporting our students, that’s something special,” player Adam Sandavol said.
Several generous sponsors made the event’s success possible. FirstLight Federal Credit Union served as the Title Sponsor. MountainView Regional Medical Center joined as the Birdie Sponsor, and Viva Toyota participated as the Hole-in-One Sponsor.
Mayor Eric Enriquez was one of many attendees at the NMSU golf course on Oct. 10, 2025. (David Castañeda)
Additional support came from NMSU, Andele’s Restaurant and Doghouse, the Aggie Tech Campus Bookstore, and NMSU Athletics. Media sponsorships were provided by Adams Radio Group, The Las Cruces Bulletin, TMG Marketing, and Hutton Broadcasting.
This year’s tournament theme, “Aggie Up,” brought out the school spirit in the event.
“We had Pistol Pete and the NMSU cheerleaders come out to cheer on the players for helping our students with a day on the greens, and it was a success!” Saltman said.
Donors and sponsors were invited to bring their families to the 23rd annual DACC tournament. Oct. 10, 2025.
