Men's Golf | 4/20/2020 12:00:00 AM
Goldey-Beacom freshman Gonzalo Moreno (Seville, Spain), who put forth one of the greatest seasons for any sport in the College's history, has been named the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Men's Golf Player and Rookie of the Year.
In addition, Hunter McGee (Carp, ON), fellow freshman Pablo Saenz Avila (Bogota, Colombia) and senior Shea Murphy (Wilmington, DE) both joined Moreno in being picked all-conference.
Moreno is the first in program history to be named CACC Player of the Year and the first for the Lightning to be tabbed CACC Rookie of the Year since Tyler Harman in 2009. He also is the second Goldey-Beacom student-athlete this academic year to be picked their sport's CACC Player of the Year with senior Jenna Fannon (Newark, DE) so honored for Women's Soccer.
Moreno could not have had more of an impact for the Lightning, finishing in the top six in all seven tournaments he played. This included winning the Jefferson Invitational with a season-best 68, accomplished in a fall season which he closed in the top three during five of his six tournaments.
Another example of his solid play came in the CACC Championship, in which he carded 150 over two days to end tied for third and had Goldey-Beacom in first place after day one.
The Lightning ended the championship in second place for their best finish since closing tied for second in 2008-09.
By the end of the abbreviated campaign, Moreno was ranked second in the East Region according to Golfstat. This also was helped by him closing tied for second at the Le Moyne Invitational and the Griffin Invitational.
McGee also went on a tear, closing in the top 10 four times and ended ranked 24th in the East Region. He won the Griffin Invitational by carding 147 and finished eighth at the CACC Championship.
McGee shot a season-best 71 during the Eagles Invitational and also closed fifth at the Jefferson Invitational.
Saenz Avila also was a presence in his debut campaign, earning him a No. 28 ranking in the East Region. He ended tied for third at the CACC Championship with 150, which included a first-round 70, and was third outright with 75 at the Jefferson Invitational.
Saenz Avila also carded 72 in the final round of the FPU Invitational and his 149 put him tied for 13th.
Murphy had a tremendous fall season with three top-10 finishes, including tied for second at the Eagles Invitational. He carded a personal-best 68 in the final round to end with 143 just two weeks after closing sixth at the Jefferson Invitational.
Murphy also was tied for fifth at the Griffin Invitational and ended the year ranked 31st in the East Region.
College golf is a team sport and the Lightning stood out as a team. The squad ended sixth in the East Region and was in a good spot to possibly make an at-large appearance at the NCAA Regional. Goldey-Beacom won the Jefferson Invitational by 32 shots, captured the Griffin Invitational by 35 shots and closed in the top five during six of its seven tournaments.
