Posted: May 14, 2018

NCAA Division III Golf Championships Preview

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (May 14, 2018) – The Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) champion Western New England University men's golf team will make its third appearance at the NCAA Division III Championships this week at Grandover Resort in Greensboro, N.C.

Forty-two teams and 216 student-athletes will be competing at the national tournament, which begins Tuesday, May 15 and runs through Friday, May 18.

Western New England earned the CCC's automatic bid to the NCAA Championships when the Golden Bears captured the CCC title by a 20-stroke margin over second place Endicott College at Kernwood Country Club in Salem, Mass. the weekend of April 28-29.

NCAA Championship History
The Golden Bears will be making their third all-time appearance at the NCAA Championships. Here's a look at how they fared in their two previous trips:

2016 – T-18^th of 41 teams, 621 (311+310) | Mendon Golf Club, Honeoye Falls, N.Y.
2015 – 33^rd of 41 teams, 638 (315+323) | Grandover Resort, Greensboro, N.C.

Competing for the Golden Bears
John Abbott | Senior | Higganum, Conn.
Stroke Average: 73.72 (18 rounds)
Top 2017-18 Performance: Medalist at CCC Fall Qualifier (70) & CCC Championship (142, 71+71)
Accolades: 2018 CCC Golfer of the Year, 4x All-CCC 1^st Team
NCAA Experience: 2016 (T-89^th, 157), 2015 (T-136^th, 159)

Joe Ciolek | Senior | South Hadley, Mass.
Stroke Average: 76.4 (18 rounds)
Top 2017-18 Performance: 2nd at Duke Nelson Invitational (142, 72+70)
Accolades: All-CCC 1^st Team (2018), All-CCC 2^nd Team (2017)
NCAA Experience: 2016 (T-89^th, 157)

Mike Metcalf | Senior | Longmeadow, Mass.
Stroke Average: 76.8 (18 rounds)
Top 2017-18 Performance: T-12^th at Duke Nelson Invitational (145, 74+71)
Accolades: 2x All-CCC 1^st Team (2017-18), All-CCC 2^nd Team (2016)
NCAA Experience: 2016 (104^th, 158)

Ryan Zogby | Freshman | New Hartford, N.Y.
Stroke Average: 78.7 (18 rounds)
Top 2017-18 Performance: Medalist at Westfield State Spring Invitational (75)
Accolades: CCC Rookie of the Year, 2x CCC Rookie of the Week (4/9, 4/30)

Cameron Cox | Freshman | Bowdoinham, Maine
Stroke Average: 78.16 (6 rounds)
Top 2017-18 Performance: T-8^th at CCC Championship (152, 76+76)
Accolades: CCC Rookie of the Week (4/23)