LINKS: Photo Gallery
QUINCY, Mass. - The Albertus Magnus College men's golf team enjoyed a historic, record-setting day at the 2021 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men's Golf Championship at the Granite Link Golf Club on Monday afternoon.
The Falcons captured the program's first-ever conference championship behind a team score of 320, as well as earned its first trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament, which will be held from May 11-14 at the Oglebay Resort & Conference Center in Wheeling, W.V. and championship rounds will be played at the Speidel Golf Club on the Arnold Palmer Course and the Robert Trent Jones, Sr. Course. The 2021 NCAA Division III selection show will take place on May 3rd.
SITE NOTES
Milton course (Front Nine) – Par 36 - 3,216 yard – 35.4 Rating, 133 Slope
Quincy course (Back Nine) – Par 35 – 3,163 yards – 35. 9 Rating, 127 Slope
Combined – Par 71 – 6,379 – 35.6 Rating – 130 Slope
TEAM SCORES
1) Albertus Magnus - 320
2) Saint Joseph's - 343
3) Dean - 364
4) Emmanuel - 392
SCORECARD
Albertus:
| Place | Name | In | Out | Final Score |
| (1) | Ryan Sember | 37 | 32 | 69 (-2) |
| (T2) | Brandon Fowler | 45 | 39 | 84 (+13) |
| (T2) | Robert Eichelberger | 46 | 42 | 88 (+17) |
| (6) | David Aquavia | 43 | 41 | 84 (+13) |
| (T7) | Devin Hines | 42 | 41 | 83 (+12) |
INSIDE THE SCORECARD
Albertus was led by Ryan Sember (Branford, Conn.), who carded a two-under 69 to help lead the Falcons to victory. Sember's medalist round of 69 ties the second-lowest round in GNAC Men's Golf Championship history and earned GNAC Player of the Year. He opened the day with eight straight pars before a bogey on No. 8 moved him to +1 on the day. After pars on 15 and 16, the Branford native dropped a stroke on the par 3 17th hole but finished the round strong, holing out a 25-yard approach on the 18th to eagle the final hole to secure the two-under 69.
As the low-scoring first-year player, Robert Eichelberger (Odessa, Fla.) garnered GNAC Rookie of the Year honors with his round of 83 which featured eight pars with four coming on each side of the course.
Next on the Falcons were David Aquavia (Oakville, Conn.) and Devin Hines (West Haven, Conn.), who each carded a 13-over 84. After posting a score of 45 on the front nine, Aquavia shaved six strokes off the back with a 39. Aquavia's score was three off of his career-low showing posted last season against Mitchell College. Hines was more consistent across both sides, posting a score of 43 and 41 over both ends of the course.
Rounding out Albertus' performers was Brandon Fowler (Lexington, S.C.), with a final score of 88 (+17). The senior was two strokes off of his career-low score from a 2020 match against Mitchell.
COACH FREDETTE'S THOUGHTS
"Ryan Sember was in the zone today," said head coach JR Fredette. "We were the first group off and it gave my guys a chance to set the pace for the day. Sember eagled on the 18th hole to give him a score of 69, which was -2 for the day."
2020-21 MEN'S GOLF ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Ryan Sember, Albertus Magnus - 69 (Low Medalist)
Robert Eichelberger, Albertus Magnus - 83
Sean McDonough, Saint Joseph's College of Maine - 83
David Aquavia, Albertus Magnus - 84
Devin Hines, Albertus Magnus - 84
GNAC Player of the Year - Ryan Sember, Albertus Magnus (pictured below)
GNAC Rookie of the Year - Robert Eichelberger, Albertus Magnus
Albertus Magnus was originally slated to host the 2020-21 GNAC Men's Golf Championship before the COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of our Fall 2019 seasons. As a result, the newly-crowned GNAC champion Falcons are again scheduled to host the GNAC's next men's golf championship this October.
