After a delay to the start of its season, the men's golf team secured ninth place in the 12-team field at the ECAC Championship over the weekend in Westerly, R.I.
The Bears, who were not allowed to compete in their first three competitions due to allegations of behavioral misconduct, finished with a team score of 626. That was 24 shots behind the University of Rhode Island, which finished first with a score of 602. Boston College and Sacred Heart University both carded scores of 613 to tie for second. The Bears lost by only one stroke to Ivy League rival Harvard at 625 and finished a convincing 20 strokes clear of Dartmouth, which finished with 646.
Defending Ivy League individual champion Larry Haertel '08 led the team, placing 10th overall with consecutive rounds of 76 for a total of 152. Chris Hoffman '09, meanwhile, was solid in carding an 80-78 (158) to finish in 28th place. This season's first-year standout, John Giannuzzi '10, also carded an impressive 159 (82-77) to finish ahead of Lanny Benson '07 (165) and Conor Malloy '09 (170).
Haertel, this year's captain, was extremely positive about the team's second tournament of the season.
"There were big improvements on what we produced at Yale (two weekends ago)," he said. "Given the disruptions we had to endure this fall season, I think we have at least demonstrated that we can be a very competitive team come the spring."
Malloy agreed.
"The teams we played against have been playing all fall and so they have that conditioning to work with," he said. "That we weren't afforded the same opportunity is very frustrating, but I think we can be reasonably successful come the spring."
Last month, the team was prohibited from competing while the University investigated whether a rules violation had occurred. Michael Chapman, vice president for public affairs and University relations, issued a statement on Sept. 19:
"The men's golf team was not suspended but it wasn't allowed to participate in the past weekend's (Central Connecticut State University) Blue Devil golf tournament and is currently not allowed to practice due to violations of University policies. The matter is currently under review."
Chapman declined to comment further.
"Whenever allegations of that severity are leveled against a team, they obviously have to be taken seriously," Haertel said. "I am really proud of the guys on the team the way they have handled themselves throughout, and I think everybody is very keen to move on."
Malloy echoed a similar sentiment. "We love competing and we want to represent the school to the best of our ability," he said. "Clearly anybody who believes that the team would intentionally act in a manner to bring the school's image into disrepute does not understand what we are about."
This was the final tournament in the fall schedule for the men's team. Brown will return to action at the end of March following the team's training camp in South Florida.
-With additional reporting by Stephen Colleli
