CRANSTON, RI - The Saint Joseph's golf team capped their 2008 season with a fifth place finish in the GNAC Championship. Andy LeConte '09 (York, ME) paced the Monks with a two-day score of 160, good for tenth individually. The SJC team posted 671 strokes and Johnson & Wales University won the event for the second straight year with a 621 score.

Bobby Newcomb of Johnson & Wales earned Medalist honors with a two-round score of 150 strokes and was named the GNAC Golfer of the Year.

Michael Patrick '11 (Wells, ME) was one of seven players, one from each participating institution, named to the GNAC Sportsmanship Team.

COMPLETE RESULTS

GNAC RELEASE (COURTESTY OF JOHNSON & WALES SPORTS INFORMATION)

JWU Golf Captures 2008 Great Northeast Athletic Conference Championship
Release at will
October 25, 2008

Cranston, R.I. - Johnson & Wales senior Bobby Newcomb (Quincy, Mass.) earned medalist honors and was named the 2008 Great Northeast Athletic Conference Player of the Year after shooting a two-round total of 150 (74-76) to lead the team to a first-place finish at the 2008 GNAC Championship. Johnson & Wales head coach Lou Parente earned GNAC Coach of the Year honors while Rhode Island College's Bryan Picinisco and Southern Maine's Cody Berkowitz were tabbed as Co-Rookies of the Year. With the win, the Johnson & Wales has earned the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship. The event will take place May 13-16 at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida

Johnson & Wales finished the two-round event with a 622 (307-315). Rhode Island College was in second-place with a 648 (320-328) while Southern Maine notched a third-place finish with a 649 (324-325).

JWU Senior Dustin Bride (Manchester, Conn.) (78-78), Rhode Island College's Bryan Picinisco (78-78), and Southern Maine's Ben Loss (80-76) and Cody Berkowitz (77-79) finished in a four-way tie for second-place with matching scores of 156. All four golfers joined Newcomb as All-GNAC selections.

The Wildcats had four players in the top 10 as senior Zach Bennardo (Norwich, Conn.) tied for sixth with a 157 (76-81) while sophomore Steve LeDonne (Rehoboth, Mass.) shot a 159 (79-80) to finish tied for eighth.

Team Scores
1 Johnson & Wales 307-315=622
1 Bobby Newcomb 74-76=150
T-2 Dustin Bride 78-78=156
T-6 Zach Bennardo 76-81=157
T-8 Steve LeDonne 79-80=159
15 Aaron Vargas 80-88=168

2 Rhode Island College320-328=648
T-2 Bryan Picinisco 78-78=156
T-6 Derek Jensen 77-80=157
14 Chad Lareau 82-85=167
T-21 Barrett Kern 88-85=173
T-23 Mark Savastano 83-92=175

3 Southern Maine 324-325=649
T-2 Ben Loss 80-76=156
T-2 Cody Berkowitz 77-79=156
T-11 Brent Profento 81-83=164
T-21 David Roberge 86-87=173
25 Matt Reid 90-90=180

4. UMass.-Dartmouth 321-336=657
T-8 Rob Leaver 81-78=159
T-11 Nick Jagoe 79-85=164
16 Scott Woodacre 83-87=170
T-17 John Ripp 85-86=171
WD Joe Connor 78-WD

5. St. Joseph's (Maine) 335 336=671
10 Andy LeConte 76-84=160
13 Matthew Cotreau 82-83=165
T-17 Steve Sands 87-84=171
T-23 Michael Patrick 90-85=175
27 Chris Nanof 97-87=184

6. Suffolk 375-364=739
T-19 Ryan Sheehan 84-88=172
26 Alex Toma 89-93=182
28 Pat Flaherty 101-90=191
29 Matt Coughlin 102-93=195
31 Jon Doodian 101-99=200

7. Emerson 406-386=792
T-19 Alex Levere 87-85=172
30 Alan Guizdowski 103-95=198
32 John Cortizo 107-98=205
33 Nick Vennochi 109-109=218
34 Kyle Kesses 111-108=219

GNAC Player of the Year - Bobby Newcomb - Johnson & Wales
GNAC Rookie of the Year - Bryan Picinisco - Rhode Island College
GNAC Rookie of the Year - Cody Berkowitz - Southern Maine
GNAC Coach of the Year - Lou Parente - Johnson & Wales

All-Championship Team
Bobby Newcomb - Johnson & Wales
Dustin Bride - Johnson & Wales
Cody Berkowitz - Southern Maine
Ben Loss - Southern Maine
Bryan Picinisco - Rhode Island College

GNAC Sportsmanship Team
Alan Guidzowski - Emerson
Steve LeDonne - Johnson & Wales
Barrett Kern - Rhode Island College
Michael Patrick - St. Joseph's (Maine)
Dave Roberge - Southern Maine
Ryan Sheehan - Suffolk
Nick Jagoe - UMass Dartmouth