Men's Golf | 4/28/2021 9:58:50 AM
The Empire 8 Conference announced its 2021 Men’s Golf All-Conference awards on Wednesday, April 28. Senior Josh Kienz of Utica College was named Player of the Year, while first-year Benjamin McBane of St. John Fisher College was named Rookie of the Year, and Dave Clausen and Brian Marcantonio of Utica College were named the E8 Coaching Staff of the Year.
Empire 8 Champion Utica led the way with four all-conference selections, while St. John Fisher was right behind with three. The awards were based on results from the 2021 Empire 8 Championship, which took place on April 24-25 at Timber Banks Golf Club in Baldwinsville, NY. Utica won its first Empire 8 Championship in program history and will compete at the 2021 NCAA Division III Championship, which will take place May 11-14 at Oglebay Resort & Conference Center in Wheeling, WV.
Kienz shot a 73 during the opening round and finished with a 78 on the final day to record a final two-round total of 151 and earn medalist and E8 Player of the Year honors. He held off a stern challenge from Ryan Fecco of SUNY Oswego before prevailing by two strokes. Blake Pritchard of Russell Sage College, Michael Dugan of St. John Fisher and Utica’s Joe Miga rounded out the top-five finishers to earn All-Empire 8 first team honors. Brendan McBane and Luke Buckley of St. John Fisher, Utica teammates Nick Visconti and Adam Woodmansee, along with Alex Crysler of Elmira College garnered All-Empire 8 second team honors.
McBane carded the lowest score by a first-year student-athlete over the two-day tournament at 160 and also earned All-E8 second team accolades.
Clausen and Marcantonio helped guide Utica to an eight shot win over St. John Fisher. The Pioneers built a commanding lead after day one action and held on for their first Empire 8 Championship. It is the second straight season Utica has earned E8 Coach of the Year honors.
One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2021 Men's Golf Sportsman of the Year Team. The Empire 8 Conference emphasizes that "Competing with Honor and Integrity" is an essential component of a student-athlete's experience in conjunction with an institution's educational mission. These honorees have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportsmen.
2021 Empire 8 Men’s Golf Award Winners
Player of the Year: Josh Kienz, Sr., Utica
Rookie of the Year: Benjamin McBane, Fr., St. John Fisher
Coaching Staff of the Year: Utica, led by head coaches Dave Clausen and Brian Marcantonio
Empire 8 First Team
Josh Kienz, Sr., Utica – 151
Ryan Fecco, Jr., SUNY Oswego – 153
Blake Pritchard, Sr., Russell Sage – 155
Michael Dugan, Gr., St. John Fisher – 157
Joe Miga, Jr., Utica - 159
Empire 8 Second Team
Benjamin McBane, Fr., St. John Fisher – 160
Luke Buckley, Fr., St. John Fisher – 161
Nick Visconti, Jr., Utica – 163
Adam Woodmansee, Fr., Utica – 164
Alex Crysler, Sr., Elmira – 165
Empire 8 Sportsman of the Year
Alex Crysler, Sr., Elmira
Tom McIntosh, Fr., Nazareth
Ryan Fecco, Jr., SUNY Oswego
Stuart Phair, Jr., Russell Sage
Luke Buckley, Fr., St. John Fisher
Brandon Young, Sr., Utica