Men's Golf 4/21/2021 10:09:00 AM

USM Set to Compete in LEC Championship

GORHAM, Maine -- The University of Southern Maine golf team will travel to Rhode Island College (RIC) on Thursday and Friday to compete against Castleton, RIC, and Eastern Connecticut State in the first ever Little East Conference (LEC) golf championship. The 2020-2021 academic year marks the first year that golf is an LEC sponsored sport. Competition begins at 10am on Thursday and 8am on Friday.

The History:
Prior to competing in the LEC, the Huskies' golf team competed in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC), where they claimed the conference championship and qualified for the NCAA tournament during the 2019 season. In the 2019 GNAC championship, senior Tristan Dundas (Abbotsford, BC/Sardis Secondary) claimed the individual title, while classmate Greg Kalagias (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) placed fifth. Both golfers will be in action for the Huskies this Thursday.

The Team:
The Huskies have two meets under their belt so far in the 2021 season, a win against Saint Joseph's and a narrow runner-up finish against Husson. Kalagias led the way for the Huskies in both meets, winning the meet against Saint Joseph's with an even par and taking second in the meet against Husson, shooting just four strokes above par.

Finishing second and third in the Huskies' lineup in both meets, sophomore Carter Burnell (Biddeford, Maine/Biddeford) and freshman Zach Ellsworth (Saranac Lake, N.Y./Northwood) will also be in competition for top spots in the individual standings.

The Matchup:
During the fall of 2020, the LEC hosted a virtual golf tournament with all teams participating on their home courses. Led by individual champion Ashton Lewis and runner-up Jonah Dupuis, Eastern Connecticut won the meet by a margin of nine strokes. The Huskies placed second in the team score, finishing 15 strokes above par. Dundas was the highest individual finisher for the Huskies, placing fifth. Rhode Island College and Castleton rounded out the team scores, 19 and 36 strokes above par respectively.

Since the virtual meet, only two LEC teams have faced off. RIC and Eastern Connecticut met at the Eastern Connecticut Invitational on April 8. The Anchormen placed first through fourth in the individual competition, securing the team title.

As the Huskies will look to win their second straight conference championship, fans can follow along at littleeast.com with scores and recaps being posted after each day of play.

-oldh-

Print Friendly Version