VESTAL, N.Y. – The Binghamton golf team is set to compete at the Northeast Conference Men's Golf Championship from Thursday through Saturday at the Kingsmill Resort's River Course in Williamsburg, Va.
With the regular season wrapping up this weekend, the Bearcats look to qualify for the NCAA tournament. The winning team of the NEC Men's Golf Championship and the low medalist individual who is not on the winning team earn an automatic bid to the NCAAs.
For this week's 54-hole tournament, Binghamton competes against Chicago State, Fairleigh Dickinson, 2024 NEC champion Howard, Le Moyne, LIU, Maryland Eastern Shore, Mercyhurst, North Carolina Central, Saint Francis and Wagner. The golfers who finish in the top 10 of the event will be named to the all-tournament team.
Binghamton has competed in nine tournaments this season, including four this spring. In the Bearcats' last event, the Roar-EE Invitational on April 19,
Brandon Conner tied for 10th for his second top 10 finish in his last three tournaments. The junior shot 75-70 = 145/1-over par throughout the 36-hole competition. Conner, who previously won medalist honors at the Lehigh Invitational in October, goes into the NEC Men's Golf Championship leading the Bearcats in stroke average at 73.9.
This is the second time Binghamton is competing in the NEC Men's Golf Championship. In the team's first season as an associate member of the league in 2023-24,
Evan Sitts tied for fifth at 74-71-71 = 216/ even par to make the all-tournament team while also helping Binghamton finish fifth overall.
The Bearcats aim to win their first conference championship since 2005 when they were members of the America East Conference. That was one of two championships the Bearcats won while in the league, with the other happening in 2003. Binghamton then joined the America Sky Conference in 2007, before moving to the Big Sky Conference in 2014 and then joining the NEC in 2023.
This week's tournament begins with the opening round starting on Thursday. The second round takes place on Friday, while the third and final round happens on Saturday. Each round starts at 8:30 a.m., with double tee times.
Matthews Auto is the presenting sponsor of Bearcats Golf.
