Men's Golf | 4/20/2026 4:52:47 PM
St. John Fisher University won its fifth straight league championship, as the final round of 2025-26 Empire 8 Men’s Golf Championship concluded on Monday, April 20 from Lebanon Country Club in Lebanon, PA.
Fall scores were combined with scores from rounds three and four this weekend to determine team and individual awards. The first two rounds of the 2025-26 Empire 8 Golf Championship were held at Teugega Country Club in Rome, NY on Sunday, Oct. 12 and Monday, Oct. 13, 2025.
St. John Fisher the 2025-26 Empire 8 Champion, receives an automatic berth into the 2026 NCAA Division III Men’s Golf Championship, set for May 12-15 at Mission Resort Club in Howey-In-The-Hills, FL.
The Cardinals recorded a final team score of 1,241 strokes to win by 19 strokes over runner-up Russell Sage College (1,260). The Cardinals posted a team-best score of 319 for the final round, three strokes ahead of Utica University. Nazareth University finished third overall with a team total of 1,263 strokes, while Utica finished fourth with 1,272 strokes.
Six teams entered the final day within 30 shots of the lead.
Koltin Pickell of Utica University shot the low round of the final day, carding a one-over-par 73 in sunny, but chilly weather. Defending Champion
Lincoln Crosby of Nazareth shot a 76, while Raine Rumble of SUNY Canton was right behind with a 77.
St. John Fisher’s
Colin Patterson was the individual medalist of the four round tournament with a final score of 305 (plus-21), two shots ahead of teammate
Nick Years, who finished with a score of 307.
Rumble moved into the top three overall with a final output of 310, while Crosby climbed into fourth overall at 311 and
Jack Doran of Fisher rounded out the top five with a score of 312.
Below are the
team scores and top individual scores from the fall championship.
FINAL 2025-26 Empire 8 Men’s Golf Championship Team Scores
St. John Fisher University – 1241 (308-295-319-319)
Russell Sage College – 1260 (304-304-318-334)
Nazareth University – 1263 (306-307-327-323)
Utica University – 1272 (308-310-332-322)
SUNY Canton – 1276 (301-314-334-327)
SUNY Oswego – 1276 (317-311-317-331)
Keuka College – 1398 (339-335-365-359)
SUNY Poly – 1401 (337-337-366-361)
FINAL 2025-26 Empire 8 Men’s Golf Championship Individual Leaders
Colin Patterson, St. John Fisher – 305 (+21)
Nick Years, St. John Fisher – 307 (+23)
Raine Rumble, SUNY Canton – 310 (+26)
Lincoln Crosby, Nazareth – 311 (+27)
Jack Doran, St. John Fisher – 312 (+28)
Tyce Helmick, SUNY Oswego – 313 (+29)
Nathan Macdonald, Utica – 314 (+30)
Luke Finlan, Russell Sage – 314 (+30)
Kahontiio Lazore, SUNY Canton – 317 (+33)
Jackson Vatter, Russell Sage – 317 (+33)
AWARDS: The Empire 8 champion will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championship. The top five scorers at the end of the tournament (who played in all four rounds) will earn first-team all-conference honors with the next five finishers being named to the second team. Finishers 11-15 will earn third team accolades. The individual with the lowest four-round score will be named Empire 8 Player of the Year, while the lowest scoring first-year student-athlete will earn Empire 8 Rookie of the Year honors.
THE COURSE: Over 100 years ago, Alexander Findlay arrived in the United States from Scotland with a plan to share his love of the sport this country has grown to adore. Lebanon was hatched from the mind of a traditional Scottish Architect, and continues to inspire the same awe it did in the early 1920s. Certified by both USGA and the Audubon Society, this revered course holds a distinguished reputation within the golfing community. As a par 72 course nestled within Lebanon County's rolling terrain, it offers an engaging blend of shot selection and hole lengths. Renowned for its picturesque beauty and versatility, it remains a coveted destination.