CONOVER, N.C. – The No. 1 Nova Southeastern University men's golf team took home their second-ever NCAA Division II National Championship, defeating Lynn by the slimmest of margins on Friday afternoon, 3-2 at Rock Barn Golf and Spa.
The Sharks took each of the first two points on the strength of two freshmen coming up huge in their postseason debuts.
Ethan Marcus (Boca Raton, Fla.) got the first tally as his 2-over 73 defeated Keith Greene by two strokes, and
Priyanshu Singh (Delhi, India) won his matchup against Martin Cancino by three shots to bring the team within one to clinch.
Though Lynn took the next point, with Mateo Gomez topping
Oscar Lengdèn (Sr., Helsingborg, Sweden), the Sharks earned the championship in the fourth matchup, as
Santiago Gomez (Jr., Armenia, Colombia) tapped in a birdie putt on the final hole to defeat Jose Andres Miranda by a solitary shot after a 2-over 73 round.
That made the fifth slot inconsequential, won by Lynn's Elliott Whitley over the Sharks'
Richard Mansell (So., Staffordshire, England). With the victory, the Sharks notched their seventh national team title in history, and 20th overall (including individuals).
"I thought it was obviously an unbelievable day overall," said head coach Ryan Jamison. "It didn't lack excitement, that's for sure. All the matches were tough, and the fourth match ended up being the deciding point, with Santiago (Gomez) beating (Jose Andres) Miranda. It was hard-fought, and I remember thinking in the fairway that this is the one kid I'd want in that situation, needing a birdie or par to win.
"Throughout the week, it was a complete team effort. Everybody had their moments at different times, and they all stepped up to help us win. That even goes for the five guys at home, everybody has played a part. I'm super excited to come back to Fort Lauderdale with the trophy and I'm very gracious and humbled to have the resources given to us from the university that allowed us to reach this ultimate goal."
"I couldn't be more proud of and happy for Coach Ryan Jamison and this fine group of young men," added Director of Athletics Michael Mominey. "This is a special group who did special things this year, and on the last day of the season it resulted in being the 2015 National Champions. This team deserves to be recognized as "champions" because they truly are just that: "champions" in everything they do on and off the course. From how they prepare to how they respect their coach, respect their opponents, and most of all, respect and believe in each other. This is another great day for Shark Nation."
