Complete Results
BOARDMAN, Ohio -- For the first time since 2006, the Allegheny College men's golf team is heading to the NCAA Division III Championships.
The Gators overcame a six-stroke lead by Washington and Jefferson College with a tournament-best 293 in the final round of the 2023-24 Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Championships to claim its first conference title and ticket to the national championships in 18 years.
In a miraculous final round at Mill Creek Golf Course's South Course, Allegheny avenged its one-stroke loss to the Presidents at last year's PAC Spring Championships. With the win, the Gators earned the PAC's automatic berth into the 2024 NCAA Division III Championships, which will be held just outside of Las Vegas at the Boulder Creek Golf Club in Boulder City, Nevada, from May 14-17.
Not only did the team capture hardware, but
Carter Hassenplug (North East, Pa./North East) added to his trophy case with a historic achievement. Hassenplug became the first student-athlete to win consecutive PAC championships since 1997-98 by repeating as individual medalist and MVP. He's also the first-ever Gator to earn medalist honors in consecutive conference championships and joins Bob Ruffing '98 and Nathan Smith '01 as the only Allegheny men's golfers with multiple individual conference titles.
Hassenplug put a bow tie on Allegheny's championship with a signature moment on the final hole. With the Gators leading by one stroke, it came down to him and W&J's Luke Lestini on the final hole. Hassenplug's second shot landed in the center of the fairway, just shy of the green and about 30 feet from the pin. Despite a slight uphill approach, he chipped the ball onto the front of the green and rolled it perfectly to the hole for a clutch birdie. The highlight-reel swing clinched Allegheny's team championship, as Lestini needed three strokes to reach the green and two-putted for a bogey.
Hassenplug beat Lestini, the tournament runner-up, by a whopping 11 strokes with an even-par 284 for the entire 72-hole tournament. He's the fifth player in program history to card a 67 in a single round, only three strokes shy of the team record.
Three Gators received All-PAC accolades for their performances over the entire four-round tournament, which began with two fall rounds at Avalon Golf and Country Club's Avalon Lakes course in October. In addition to Hassenplug's All-PAC First Team honors,
Zachary Melzar (Sterling, Mass./Wachusett Regional) was included on the All-PAC Second Team, and
Nadir Khan (Karachi, Pakistan/Karachi Grammar School) was named an All-PAC Honorable Mention. Melzar was one of the most consistent golfers in the tournament, as he carded three 76s and one 77 for a 305 (+21). Khan improved with each round, culminating in a 73 (+3) on Saturday and a tournament total of 310 (+26).
Jeff Groff, in his 23rd year as Allegheny's head men's golf coach, was recognized as the PAC Coach of the Year after leading the Gators to a come-from-behind victory on Saturday.
Bergas Anargya (Jakarta, Indonesia/Binus School Simprug) was also honored as a member of the 2023-24 PAC Sportsmanship Team.
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Allegheny Results
1.
Carter Hassenplug - 69-75-73-67-284 (E)
T-6.
Zachary Melzar - 76-76-76-77-305 (+21)
12.
Nadir Khan - 83-78-76-73-310 (+26)
T-16.
Bergas Anargya - 74-77-80-84-315 (+31)
N/A.
Faaris Cheema - n/a-n/a-81-76-157 (+17)
Team Results
1. Allegheny - 301-306-305-293-1,205 (+69)
2. Washington & Jefferson - 302-304-300-302-1,208 (+72)
3. Westminster - 312-315-308-300-1,235 (+99)
4. Grove City - 322-302-323318-1,265
5. Saint Vincent - 330-324-316-313-1,283 (+147)
6. Geneva - 340-344-329-323-1,336 (+200)
7. Thiel - 363-329-327-326-1,345 (+209)
8. Waynesburg - 341-331-351-339-1,362 (+226)
9. Bethany - 348-360-346-350-1,404 (+268)
Up Next
Allegheny will travel west to Boulder City, Nevada, a suburb of Las Vegas, for the 2024 NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championships. The four-day event begins on Tuesday, May 14, at the Boulder Creek Golf Club.
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