GOLF WRAPS 2014 SEASON AT GNAC CHAMPIONSHIP

CANTON, Mass. – The Emmanuel College men's golf team recorded a two-day total of 642 at the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championship played over the weekend at Ponkapoag Golf Course. Despite shooting their 2014 single-day team low of 317 during Round 1 of the championship, the Saints placed eighth in the eight-team field as the Rhode Island College squad captured their fourth consecutive team title shooting a 587.

RIC junior Jonathan Cooper, who led the field on Saturday by carding a 70, earned medalist honors on Sunday in leading his team to the tournament title, as he shot a 72 to finish at 142 for the weekend. Cooper receives GNAC Player of the Year honors as a result of his win.

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth freshman Tyler Hemingway was the top rookie finisher on Sunday, carding a 146 to finish tied for fourth, receiving 2014 GNAC Rookie of the Year honors as a result.

Also contributing to the Anchormen's victory was senior Patrick Ford, who shot a round-best 69 on Sunday to finish in second place overall with a 143, just one shot off Cooper's pace.

UMass Dartmouth sophomore Michael Byron finished third overall with a 144, while University of Southern Maine sophomore Spencer Plante tied Hemingway for fifth with a 146. 

Cooper, Ford, Byron, Hemingway and Plante will all receive 2014 GNAC First Team All-Conference honors based on their weekend finishes.

Johnson & Wales captured its second-place team finish by having four student-athletes finish between seventh and 11th place among the 40 competitors.

UMass Dartmouth, Southern Maine and host Suffolk University all held firm on their respective Saturday finishes to finish third, fourth and fifth respectively in the team standings, while Saint Joseph's College of Maine, which sat in last place after entering Sunday, shot a 305 to earn a sixth-place finish. Worcester State finished seventh with a 635 followed by Emmanuel in eighth with a 642.

Junior Matteo Pocobene (Malden, Mass.) was consistent for Emmanuel, shooting a 77 in both rounds for a team-best 154. Senior Brett Burmann (Bridgewater, Conn.) carded the low-round for EC with a Day 1 74 before recording an 85 on Day 2 for a 159 on the Championship. Junior Cameron Dillon (Braintree, Mass.) notched a 79 during his first round of the tourney before carding an 85 on Day 2 for a two-day total of 164. Freshman Colin Cordero (Bolton, Conn.) posted a 168 with an 87 and 81 while senior Michael Burgess (Milton, Mass.) rounded out his EC career with a 171, tabbing an 89 and 81 respectively.

The Saints wrap the 2014 campaign having competed in nine matches/tournaments, wrapping the books on the careers of Burmann, Burgess and fellow seniors John Butler (Biddeford, Maine) and Jon Igo (Mattapoisett, Mass.).

Medalist / Player of the Year - Jonathan Cooper, RIC
Rookie of the Year - Tyler Hemingway, UMass Dartmouth

GNAC Golf Championship Final Standings
1. RIC – 587
2. Johnson & Wales – 596
3. UMass Dartmouth – 602
4. Southern Maine – 604
5. Suffolk – 618
6. Saint Joseph's (ME) - 632
7. Worcester State – 635
8. Emmanuel – 642