Copyright 2016; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. Action photo of Andreas Lunding taken by Tim Flynn of the NCAA.
NORMAN, Okla. - - A trio of Wilmington University golfers were mentioned as the Golf Coaches Association of America announced the Division II PING All-East Region Team, naming Andreas Lunding, Joey Russo, and Ryan Rucinski to the team.
The three golfers paced the Wildcats to their best season to date, advancing to the NCAA Division II National Tournament Medal Match Play event in Denver, Colorado. The Wildcats captured their sixth straight Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament crown before finishing fourth in the NCAA Division II Atlantic/East Super Regional to earn a bid to the NCAA Division II Championships.
Lunding (Horsholm, Denmark) has been named PING All-East Region for the third time in his career, also earning the status as a freshman and junior. In 28 rounds in 2015-16, the senior averaged a score of 73.89 while winning the St. Thomas Aquinas Spring Invitational. He also placed second at the CACC Fall Invitational, and third at the Goldey-Beacom Fall Invite and the CACC Championship. He also led the team at the NCAA Division II National Championship, finishing a program best tied for 12th after shooting rounds of 70-68-73 for a 211 (-5).
It is the second year in a row that Russo (Sewell, N.J.) has been named a Division II PING All-East Region performer, earning the honor as a freshman last year. As a sophomore, Russo played in 33 rounds in 14 tournaments, shooting an average 74.94 per round. He finished tied atop the leaderboard at the Coach Carpenter Invitational Classic with a 224 (+8), falling in a playoff hole to teammate Ryan Rucinski. He placed in a tie for fifth in the CACC Tournament while leading the team with a sixth place finish at the NCAA Division II Atlantic/East Super Regional Tournament. Russo finished in a tie for 27th overall at the NCAA National Tournament with scores of 72-74-70 for a 216, even-par tournament.
Rucinski (Wilmington, Del.) was named the CACC Player and Rookie of the Year and now adds a PING All-East Region honor to his name. In 31 rounds during his freshman season, Rucinski averaged 74.84 strokes and a 3.03 score versus par. He won the Coach Carpenter Invitational Classic for his first outright tournament title of his career after falling on a playoff at the Goldey-Beacom Fall Invite. He finished tied for second in the CACC Fall Invitational before finishing second overall at the CACC Championship. He finished strong at the NCAA Division II National Championship, halving the match with the individual champion from St. Leo in the Quarterfinal Medal Match Round at the National Championship.
Concordia's Juan Roa joins the three Wildcats as the only other member of the Division II PING All-East Region Team from the CACC. The rest of the team is comprised of five players from the Northeast-10 and three from the East Coast Conference.
AGATE:
Division II PING All-East Region Team
John Clare, Le Moyne
Gavin Dugas, Southern New Hampshire
Aidan Fuller, Le Moyne
Christopher Gentle, St. Thomas Aquinas
Brendan Hunter, St. Thomas Aquinas
Andreas Lunding, Wilmington (DE)
Michael Miranda, St. Thomas Aquinas
Jake Nutter, Southern New Hampshire
Malcolm Oliver, Bentley
Juan Roa, Concordia (NY)
Ryan Rucinski, Wilmington (DE)
Joey Russo, Wilmington (DE)