Men's Golf Third At NECC Championships
Chris Kendrick (@CKendrick86)
WEST BOYLSTON, Mass. – The Elms College men's golf team placed third overall at the 2016 New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Championship, hosted by Mitchell College, at Wachusett Country Club Sunday afternoon. The Blazers finished with a team score of 645 (322-323) in two rounds of action.
Sophomore Chris Soderberg (Northampton, Mass.) earned NECC First Team All-Conference honors after finishing fifth overall, improving by three stroke on day two to post a 155 (79-76). Junior Brian Cowles (East Longmeadow, Mass.) claimed a share of 11th overall with a 162 (80-82). Junior Mike Fleury (West Springfield, Mass.) came in 13th with a 165 (79-86), while freshman William Marchand (Springfield, Mass.) was one stroke back at 14th with a 166 (84-82). Freshman Matt King (Feeding Hills, Mass.) rounded out the Blazers golfers, taking a share of 15th with a 167 (84-83).
With a two-day team total of 595, Babson College claimed its third straight New England Collegiate Conference Men's Golf Championship on Sunday at Wachusett Country Club.
After posting a first-round score of 298, the Beavers improved by one stroke on the final day to clinch the program's fifth NECC title in the nine-year history of the league. All five Babson golfers carded rounds of 77 or better and earned all-conference honors. The Beavers also earned the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship in the spring.
Freshman Chris Bornhorst (West Newton, Mass./Buckingham Browne & Nichols) finished with a two-day total of 143 (-1) to claim individual medalist honors. He was the only player to finish under par for the tournament and led all golfers with seven birdies and 24 pars. By virtue of his win, Bornhorst was also named NECC Player and Rookie of the Year.
Both Bornhorst and teammate Martin Jensen (Bronxville, N.Y./Bronxville) shot 73 on Sunday, the low round of the day. Jensen moved up one spot in the standings and finished as runner-up with a 36-hole total of 150. Babson's Lukas Linemayr (Hampton, N.H./Berwick Academy) and David Choi (Dallas, Texas/Trinity Christian Acad./Hotchkiss) came in at 151 and 153, respectively, while Elms College sophomore Chris Soderberg (Northampton, Mass./Northampton)rounded out the top five at 155. All five golfers also earned all-conference first team honors.
Springfield College finished as runner-up in the team standings with a two-day total of 637. Freshmen Doug Shane (Hamden, Conn./Hamden) and Mike Strong (Newington, Conn./Newington) tied for sixth overall with scores of 156 while junior Travis Price (Reading, Mass./Reading) finished one shot back and placed ninth. All three earned a spot on the all-conference second team.
Babson's Ian Notkin (Caldwell, N.J./Montclair Kimberley Academy) and Becker College's MacGregor Howey (Grosse Ile, Mich./Grosse Ile Business) claimed the final two spots on the all-conference second team. Notkin finished tied for sixth at 156 while Howey placed 10th at 158.
Elms (645) and Mitchell College (710) rounded out the team standings. Freshman Michael Izzo (Hamden, Conn./Notre Dame) paced the Mariners at 167 and tied for 15th overall.
Daniel Webster College senior Clint Goodwin (Lebanon, N.H./Lebanon) led his squad with a 162 and finished 11th overall.
Final Team Results
Babson – 595
Springfield – 637
Elms – 645
Mitchell – 710
Daniel Webster – DQ
Becker – DQ
NECC Player of the Year: Chris Bornhorst (Babson)
NECC Rookie of the Year: Chris Bornhorst (Babson)
NECC All-Conference First Team
Chris Bornhorst (Babson)
Martin Jensen (Babson)
Lukas Linemayr (Babson)
David Choi (Babson)
Chris Soderberg (Elms)
NECC All-Conference Second Team
Michael Strong (Springfield)
Douglas Shane (Springfield)
Ian Notkin (Babson)
Travis Price (Springfield)
MacGregor Howey (Becker)
NECC All-Sportsmanship Team
Lukas Linemayr (Babson)
Connor Allison (Becker)
Nasi Nikopoulos (Daniel Webster)
Mike Fleury (Elms)
Michael Izzo (Mitchell)
Travis Price (Springfield)
