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NEW HAVEN, Conn. - - After winning his first outright intercollegiate tournament, Wilmington University freshman Ryan Rucinski has been named the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Player and Rookie of the Week, as announced by the conference office on Wednesday.
The freshman led the Wildcats to the team championship at the Coach Carpenter Classic as well, but needed to defeat teammate Joey Russo in a playoff to earn his first individual title. Rucinski (Wilmington, Del.) defeated Russo on the second playoff hole after Russo shot a 74 to catch the freshman on the final day.
Rucinski was the clubhouse leader after the first two rounds on Monday, shooting a steady 74-74. He finished with a 76 to shoot a 224 (+8) in cold and blustery conditions in Crofton, Maryland.
The Wildcats led wire-to-wire in the tournament as well, shooting a 295-305-315 to defeat the field of 13 teams by six strokes. The Wildcats held off nationally ranked St. Thomas Aquinas for the title, after the Spartans defeated the Wildcats in the season's first tournament last week.
Rucinski was also a part of a playoff during the fall, but fell to teammate Miguel Siercke in the Goldey-Beacom College Fall Invite on the fourth playoff hole. It is the first time in his career that Rucinski has been named on the CACC Weekly Reports.
CACC Weekly Report:
Golf