April 2, 2009

Center Valley, Pa. - With the Patriot League Golf Championship set for April 25-26 at Army's West Point Golf Course, each of the League squads will continue to tune up for the event. Lafayette and Navy both host invitationals that include multiple Patriot League teams. Lafayette freshman Rob Robertson became the first-ever Leopard to earn Patriot League Golfer of the Month recognition by claiming the honor for March.

Patriot League Golf Release - 4.2.09

Patriot League March Golfer of the Month

Rob Robertson, Lafayette Fr., Philadelphia, Pa.

Robertson becomes the first-ever Lafayette student-athlete to receive Patriot League Golfer of the Month recogntion after two strong performances in March to open the spring season. He put up a third-place showing at last week's Monmouth Invitational, finishing just one shot off of second place with a two-round score of 2-over par 146. Robertson was the highest finisher of four Leopards in the top 10 as Lafayette placed second in the 12-team field, just one shot behind first-place Sacred Heart. He also put up a 154 at the St. Thomas Aquinas Invitational on March 20-21, bouncing back from a first-round 82 by shooting a par-72 in the second round. He was Lafayette's second-best finisher in the event.

March Patriot League Honorable Mention Performances

Ben Jessen, Colgate Fr., West Simsbury, Conn.

Jessen had two solid events for the Raiders in March. He defeated Emory's Raffi Simel and posted the best score of all golfers with a one-over par 73 as Colgate fell, 4-3, in the matchup on March 15. He tied for 16th-place at the George Washington Invitational on March 20-21, shooting an eight-over par 152 to match teammate David Ake and Bucknell's Andrew Cohen. The Raiders placed seventh of 22 teams in the event, and finished ahead of Navy, Bucknell and Holy Cross.

Patriot League Notebook

Patriot League Teams Prepare for Championship

The Patriot League Championship is just over three weeks away, and most of the League squads will continue to see plenty of each other in preparation for the event at Army's West Point Golf Course on April 25-26. Bucknell, Lehigh, Colgate and host Lafayette will compete at the Lafayette Invitational this weekend, while those four schools will join host Navy for the Navy Invitational on April 18-19. Lafayette and Lehigh will conclude the pre-Championship competition when they each play in the Lehigh Valley Collegiate on April 21.

The Patriot League Championship poll came out earlier this week, with Bucknell claiming first place and followed in order by Navy, Army, Lehigh, Colgate, Holy Cross and Lafayette. However, the early returns from the spring events show that the 2009 title is clearly up for grabs. Four events featured multiple Patriot League schools, with very different results coming out of each tournament. At the George Washington Invitational from March 20-21, Colgate led four Patriot League schools with a seventh-place finish out of 22 teams, with Navy in 11th, Bucknell 13th and Holy Cross in 19th. Army placed 17th and Bucknell was 22nd at the First Market Bank Intercollegiate from March 23-24. A pair of tournaments included two Patriot League teams last week, with Navy placing 11th and Army 16th at the Towson Invitational and Lafayette finishing second and Bucknell in third of 12 teams at the Monmouth Invitational.

The 2009 Patriot League Golf Championship will be held in West Point, N.Y. at Army's West Point Golf Course. The format is a two-day, 54-hole tournament, with 36 holes of play on Saturday and 18 holes scheduled for Sunday. The Patriot League champion will earn the League's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Team Notebooks

Army Army has competed in four events already this spring, with two more still to go before it hosts the Patriot League Championship on April 25-26. The Black Knights recorded a 10th-place finish at the Carlton Oaks Collegiate, 11th at the Argonaut Invitational, 17th at the First Market Bank Intercollegiate and 16th at the Towson Invitational. Army was ahead of Bucknell and behind Navy, respectively, in the latter two tournaments. The Black Knights next compete in the Peacock Invitational on April 14 and Mount St. Mary's Invitational on April 20-21 before the Patriot League Championship.

Bucknell The Bison had three events in March, placing 13th at the George Washington Invitational on March 20-21, 22nd at the First Market Bank Intercollegiate on March 23-24 and third at the Monmouth Invitational on March 28-29. Andrew Cohen placed in a tie for 16th at the George Washington Invitational, and in fourth at the Monmouth Invitational. Brian Bartow and Will Bachman tied for seventh at the Monmouth tourney. Bucknell joins Patriot League competition at the Lafayette Invitational and Navy Invitational ahead of the Patriot League Championship on April 25-26 at West Point. The Bison were picked by coaches and sports information directors to win the League title.

Colgate The Raiders finished with the top score among four Patriot League teams at the George Washington Invitational on March 20-21, placing seventh in the 22-team field. Ben Jessen and David Ake tied for the 16th in the field with a score of 152. Jessen also posted the best score in a dual match against Emory on March 15, shooting a one-over par 73 to defeat Raffi Simel. The Raiders continue spring competition along with other League squads at the Lafayette Invitational this weekend and Navy Invitational on April 18-19 before the Patriot League Championship at West Point on April 25-26.

Holy Cross The Crusaders have only competed in one event this spring, placing 19th at the George Washington Invitational on March 20-21. Joe DePanfilis and James Widman shared team honors with a two-round total of 162. Holy Cross will compete at the Lou Flumere Invitational and Northeast Invitational before the Patriot League Championship on April 25-26.

Lafayette The Leopards put up two solid showings in March, with a fourth-place finish out of nine teams at the St. Thomas Aquinas Invitational on March 20-21 and a second-place finish out of 12 at the Monmouth Invitational last weekend. Lafayette finished one spot ahead of preseason favorite Bucknell at the Monmouth Invitational, and just one shot behind first-place Sacred Heart. Rob Robertson led four Leopards in the top 10 with a third-place finish in the event. Robertson posted two even-par rounds out of his four in March. Lafayette hosts its invitational this weekend, and will also play in the Navy Invitational on April 18-19 and Lehigh Valley Collegiate on April 21 before the Patriot League Championship.

Lehigh The Mountain Hawks opened the spring season by placing seventh of 14 teams at the Geico Invitational on March 13-14. Will Robinson was Lehigh's top finisher by placing in a tie for 16th in the event. Lehigh will compete at the Lafayette Invitational this weekend, Navy Invitational on April 18-19 and Lehigh Valley Collegiate on April 21 before the Patriot League Championship.

Navy The Mids have played two events in the spring, finishing in 11th place in both the George Washington Invitational (March 20-21) and Towson Invitational (March 28-29). Navy was second among four League schools at the George Washington invite, and beat out Army in the Towson Invitational. Tim Shield led all Patriot League competitors by placing 10th in the George Washington Invite. Navy competes at the Ironwood Collegiate this weekend before hosting its invitational on April 18-19 and going to the Patriot League Championship on April 25-26.