Copyright 2016; Wilmington University. All rights reserved.
MIDDLETOWN, Del. - - The Wilmington University golf team capped its sixth consecutive Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament Championship on Wednesday at Back Creek Golf Course, shooting a 297 with all five golfers finishing in the top five for the tournament.
The unprecedented run is the longest in the CACC, surpassing the five straight CACC Tournament Championships won by Post from 2006 to 2010. The Wildcats shot a 297 on Wednesday to go along with their 302 in the first round, finishing with a 599 (+31) team score. Felician took home second place with a team score of 626 (+58) followed by Nyack in third with a 636 (+68).
The low round of the day went to 2016 CACC Player and Rookie of the Year Ryan Rucinski, as he shot a one-under par, 70, to close the gap, but it wasn't enough to catch the individual winner. Rucinski got to within a stroke, but Felician's Andrew Geesey fired a 72 on Wednesday to take home medalist honors with a 73-72, 145 (+3) score.
Rucinski came barreling down the stretch, sinking birdies on 13, 15, and 16 to shoot a 34 (-2) on the back nine. His 76-70 gave him a 146 (+4) for the tournament.
Senior Andreas Lunding battled back from four straight bogeys and five in a span of six holes on the front nine to finish in a tie for third place overall. The senior sank a birdie on nine and birdied 15 to get as low as two-over, but bogeyed 18 to finish with a 74 (+3). He improved his round by four strokes from yesterday, finishing with a 78-74 for a 152 (+10).
Lunding tied teammate Miguel Siercke for third place overall, as Siercke also improved his round from yesterday. Siercke tied Rucinski with the most birdies on the day for the team, sinking five total. But he also collected nine bogeys to set him back. Siercke birdied 11 and then hit back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16 to get as low as three-over par, but a bogey on 18 finished his day with a 75 (+4). Siercke shot a 77-75 for a 152 (+10).
Junior Sam Clark was playing in the last group of the day, but got off to a slow start in sitting at four-over par after the first three holes. Clark birdied four and went out with a birdie on nine to finish the front with a 38 (+3). But three bogeys on the back, plus a double-bogey on 18 gave Clark a 79 (+8) on the round. He finished in a four-way tie for fifth place overall with a 74-79, 153 (+11).
Sophomore Joey Russo closed out the Wildcat scoring on Wednesday with a 78, tying teammate Sam Clark for fifth overall in the tournament. Russo birdied the first two holes of the day, but then hit four straight bogeys and finished the front with a 37 (+2). A double bogey on 16 put the sophomore at six-over par before a bogey on 18 finished the round with a 78 (+7). He shot a 75-78, 153 (+11).
All five Wildcats earned a spot on the CACC All-Tournament Team for finishing in the top five on the leaderboard. Joining the Wildcats on the All-Tournament Team was Geesey (1), Post's Carlos Fernandez-Herzog (T5), and Concordia's Juan Roa (T5).
The win automatically qualifies the Wildcats for the 2016 NCAA Division II Atlantic/East Super Regional in the beginning of May. The Super Regional will be played at Timber Banks Golf Club in Baldwinsville, New York. The three-day, three-round tournament begins on Monday, May 2, and is hosted by Le Moyne College.
