Friday, April 15, 2016

PORTLAND, Ore. – After winning their first GNAC title in 2015, the Simon Fraser men’s golf team looks to be in prime position for a repeat performance at the GNAC Men’s Golf Championships Presented by Coeur d’Alene Resort in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

The Clan enter this year’s tournament with the top average team score once again, averaging a score of 292.4 in 21 rounds. In their seven tournaments, the Clan have finished in the top-10 in each and in second place three times. In the latest NCAA Division II Men’s Golf West Region Poll, Simon Fraser ranked No. 3.

Reigning GNAC Freshman of the Year and All-American Chris Crisologo is enjoying an even season as a sophomore. After placing eighth at the NCAA Men’s Golf Championships and second at the GNAC Championships, Crisologo enters the postseason with a chance to improve on those placements.

The sophomore leads the GNAC with an average round score of 71.2, nearly two strokes lower than the next closest golfer. He has taken medalist honors in two tournaments this season, including shooting a 7-under par 206 at the Saint Martin’s Invitational to start the season. His second round score of 63 set a tournament and Simon Fraser record, while tying for the second-lowest round in GNAC competition.

Simon Fraser also boasts the reigning GNAC Player of the Year in junior Kevin Vigna, who ranks third in the conference with an average score of 73.4 this season. Senior Bret Thompson proved he can win any tournament, taking medalist honors at the 2015 GNAC Championships with a score of 8-under par 205, one stroke ahead of Crisologo. Thompson averaged a score of 74.9 this season. Sophomore Marcus Brown had the third lowest average score on the team at 74.1, while fellow sophomore Michael Caan averaged 77.5.

Western Washington hopes to return a GNAC title Bellingham, Wash., for the first time since 2013, the last in a run of six-straight titles for the Vikings. In a conference-high 26 rounds this season, Western Washington averages a team round score of 295, less than three strokes behind Simon Fraser. With three of the top-10 averages scores in the GNAC this season, the Vikings all-around depth give them a shot to win in any competition.

Junior Brett Johnson ranks second in the GNAC this season with an average score of 73.1. He has ended a round below or at even-par in eight rounds this season, including a low of 66 at the St. Edward’s Invitational on Mar. 28 and 29. Junior Chris Hatch, a Second Team All-GNAC selection in 2015, is tied for fifth in the GNAC with an average score of 74. He is followed by freshman Michael Butler (74.1), junior Jeffrey Marcum (74.4) and freshman Cody Roth (74.9).

The duo of senior Keynan Fanslow and junior Jack Strickland lead Northwest Nazarene into the GNAC Championships. The duo are tied for fifth in the conference this season with an average round score of 74. The Crusaders own the third best average team score at 297.7 in 26 rounds played.

Fanslow was named the GNAC Newcomer of the Year in 2015, transferring from Olympic Community College. The senior took medalist honors at two separate events this season and was below or even with par in 10 rounds. Strickland is one of four NNU golfers to have taken medalist honors this season, joining Fanslow, senior Michael Delie and junior Ian Briske. Delie enters the tournament with the third best average score on the team at 75.9. Freshman Justin Higgins (76.2) and Briske (77.2) will also represent the Crusaders in Coeur D’Alene.

Playing in their first GNAC Championships, Concordia will be right in the thick of the competition after finishing the regular season with the fourth best average team score in the GNAC. The Cavaliers’ score of 298.2 is within six strokes of both the highest and lowest scores in the conference.

The Cavaliers’ five golfers that will participate in the GNAC Championships each averaged two or less strokes apart from each other per round this season. Playing in 20 or more rounds this season for the Cavaliers, junior Ryan Melnychuk (74.9), senior Kolton Kyne (75) and sophomores Nick Huff (75.1) and Philip Kennedy (76.2) lead the way for Concordia. Junior Dylan Cramer (74.2) had the top average score for his team, playing in six rounds.

Saint Martin’s enters the conference tournament led by senior Ryan Pickthorn, whose average score of 73.9 ranks fourth best in the GNAC. Pickthorn’s season includes a first place finish at the East/West Bay Area Invitational on Feb. 15 and 16, where he won by three strokes with a score of 4-over par 220 in a field of 55. The Saints won the team title for the tournament by seven strokes.

As a team, the Saints average a score of 300.7 per round. The team of Pickthorn, sophomore Jared Rasmussen (75.2), junior Austin Spicer (75.5), sophomore Andrew Raab (75.7) and senior Kevin Cullen (76.2) could be a dangerous group if all are playing at the top of their games.

The Montana State Billings men’s golf team will look for a little end-of-season magic like they got to start their 2015-16 campaign, after freshman Scott Larson nailed a hole-in-one on his first collegiate stroke. The Yellowjackets’ average round score of 303.9 is sixth best in the GNAC as the team will be looking for more big shots from its freshman.

The team is led by juniors Michael Porter and Connor Miele, who pace the Yellowjackets with average round scores of 74.7 and 75.5, respectively. Montana State Billings then has three freshman who will compete at the GNAC Championships in Larson (78.2), Braden Luper (77.8) and Austin Walter (79.3).

The first round of the GNAC Men’s Golf Championships will begin at 7:30 a.m Pacific time on Mon., Apr. 18. There will be 10 groups of three competitors each, teeing off every ten minutes. The teams will play two rounds on day one and the third and final round on Tues., Apr. 19.