Saints Team Sits Fifth, Reynolds Third Individually After Day One at GNAC Championship

HAMDEN, Conn. – The first round of the 2023 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Golf Championship was suspended due to darkness with one group still on the course. That group will return to New Haven Country Club on Tuesday, Oct. 10 to play the 18th hole at 9:30 a.m. Following the conclusion of the first-18, the teams will be re-paired with the second round set to tee off at 10 a.m.

At the end of play on Monday (Oct. 9), New England College sat at the top of the leaderboard with a 325 (+45) with one golfer still on the course. They are led by Kam Hellman who sits in second overall with a plus-eight 78. The Pilgrims had two other golfers in the top-10 in Timothy Carlson and Kaleb O'Connor who are tied for seventh and ninth, respectively with an 81 (+11) and an 82 (+12).

Host Albertus Magnus finished its round on day one with a 331 (+51) team score, led by junior Charles Kristofak who shot 80 (+10), leaving him in a tie for fifth overall. His teammate Shamar Wilson was also in the top-10, tied for ninth with an 82 (+12).

In third place at the conclusion of Monday's action was Norwich with a completed score of 339 (+59) with one golfer still on the course who can improve that number. The Cadets only golfer in the top-10 was Cooper Bertrand whose 81 (+11) ranked him in a tie for seventh.

Rounding out the top half of the standings was Saint Joseph's (Maine) which currently has a 341 (+61) score. The Monks' top performer on day one was Braden Camire who is also tied for fifth with an 80 (+10).

Emmanuel, Dean, Elms are all complete with the first 18 and landed in fifth through seventh, respectively. They registered respective scores of 351 (+71), 360 (+80), and 373 (+93).

The Saints' top golfer was Ian Reynolds who finished tied for third with a 79 (+9). The Bulldogs had two golfers in the top-five with Michael Keefe leading the entire field with a plus-six 76. His teammate Matt Brangiforte was tied for third with a 79 (+9). The top performer for the Blazers was Liam Fitzgibbons, who carded an 87 (+17).

Mitchell is currently in eighth place with a 381 (+101) with Shamus McLean and Jack Hayes both turning in 84s (+14).

Tomorrow's second round of the GNAC Golf Championship will determine which team will claim the conference crown and be named 2023 GNAC Golf Champion. The conference champion will earn the league's automatic qualifier into the 2024 NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championship in the spring.

**Release courtesy Great Northeast Athletic Conference Athletic Communications