PAC Release

TRAFFORD, Pa. -- The Allegheny College men's golf team was predicted to win the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) championship in 2023-24, as the Gators were voted the No. 1 team in the PAC in the conference's preseason coaches' poll.

Allegheny and Washington and Jefferson College both earned four first-place votes, but the Gators finished atop the preseason ranking with 60 total points. The Presidents were second with 57 points, while Westminster College earned the final first-place vote and came in third with 52 points.

Last year, the Presidents, Gators, and Titans finished one-two-three at the PAC Championships and were separated by just two strokes. W&J carded a 1,211, followed by Allegheny's four-round total of 1,212 and Westminster's 1,213.

Jeff Groff, who enters his 23rd season as Allegheny's head men's golf coach, returns a plethora of talent from last season's runner-up squad. The Gators placed four student-athletes on the PAC's Men's Golf Players to Watch list, including the 2022-23 PAC medalist Carter Hassenplug (North East, Pa./North East). Hassenplug earned MVP honors after recording a four-round total of 291 at the PAC Championships. He was joined on the watch list by fellow All-PAC First Team honoree Bergas Anargya (Jakarta, Indonesia/Binus School Simprug), and two All-PAC Honorable Mentions, Faaris Cheema (Dubai, UAE/Kings School Al Barsha) and Zachary Melzar (Sterling, Mass./Wachusett Regional).

The Gators begin the fall portion of the 2023-24 campaign on Saturday, September 2, and Sunday, September 3, at the Ted Barclay Invitational, hosted by Denison University.