NESCAC Releases Golf All-Conference Teams
Palmer Picks Up Player of the Year Honors After Leading Trinity to First Place at Qualifier
HADLEY, Mass. – Trinity sophomore
Greg Palmer has been named NESCAC Player of
the Year after leading his team to a first place finish at the
NESCAC Championship Qualifier over the weekend. Hamilton’s
Matt Yung also took home a major award,
earning NESCAC Rookie of the Year honors. The first year helped the
Continentals to a third place showing at the two-day tournament,
which was hosted by Amherst at Hickory Ridge Golf Club (par 72 -
6,704 yards).
Palmer (pictured right) earned medalist honors with a two-day
score of 147. The sophomore finished day one tied with four others
in fifth place (76) before firing a tournament-best 71 (-1) on
Sunday. In the process, he became the sixth Bantam to earn NESCAC
Player of the Year honors in the last eight years. Previous winners
include George Boudria (2005), Reid Longley (2006, 2008), Josh
Grossman (2007) and senior Jack
Palley (2011).
By winning the qualifier, Trinity earned the right to host the
spring championship from April 27-28. The Bantams recorded a team
score of 592 (304, 288). They will be joined by Williams (607 -
307, 300), Hamilton (611 - 306, 305) and Middlebury (613 - 314,
299) at the tournament. Trinity also won the NESCAC Qualifier in
2007. The program’s lone NESCAC Championship came in
2010.
All five Trinity entrants earned All-NESCAC recognition. Palmer
was joined on the First Team by classmates William
Burchill and Nick Buenaventura, who
finished in a deadlock for second place with matching scores of
148. Buenaventura was a repeat First Teamer after claiming NESCAC
Rookie of the Year Honors last fall. Meanwhile, Palley and
sophomore Don Hunt earned spots on the Second
Team. Palley claimed NESCAC Player of the Year accolades in
2011.
Yung became the third player from Hamilton to earn NESCAC Rookie
of the Year honors, joining Chris Pike (2003) and Brad Roche
(2007). He was at his best on Saturday, when he carded a 73 to lead
the field. The first year was named to the All-Conference Second
Team after finishing the weekend with a two-day tally of 153.
Placement on NESCAC All-Conference Teams is based on individual
performance at the qualifier. A total of six players were honored
on the First Team. Joining Palmer, Burchill and Buenaventura were
Middlebury senior William Prince, Amherst junior
Nicholas Koh and Hamilton sophomore
Mac Pivirotto.
Prince finished in a tie for second place with Burchill and
Buenaventura to secure his spot on an All-Conference Team for the
third time in his career. After earning Second Team honors in 2009,
he was named to the First Team in 2011. Meanwhile, Koh picked up
his second All-NESCAC nod after leading the Lord Jeffs with the
team’s top score for the second consecutive year (149).
Pivirotto finished in sixth place with a two-day total of
151.
Four players earned Second Team honors for Williams. The group
included juniors Ross Bowen, Dylan
Dethier and Matt McCarron, along
with sophomore Jake Goldenring. All four players
collected All-Conference laurels last fall.
Rounding out the Second Team were Colby senior Taggie
Martin and Hamilton junior Greg
Scott. Both players were First Teamers in 2011.
Rick Pohle of Williams was named NESCAC Coach of
the Year for the second straight season and sixth time in his
30-year career. He also earned the honor in 2001, 2004, 2005, 2009
and 2011. Pohle led the Ephs to four top four finishes this fall,
including wins at the Bowdoin and Williams Invitationals. He has
guided Williams to 10 NESCAC titles and 10 NCAA Championship
appearances. The Ephs last wona NESCAC title in 2008. They took
first place at last year’s fall qualifier. Pohle’s
legendary career will come to a close at the conclusion of the fall
season, as he enters retirement.
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Rick Pohle, Williams