Iona and Quinnipiac Top Leaderboards Following Round One of the 2021 MAAC Golf Championships

Iona and Quinnipiac Top Leaderboards Following Round One of the 2021 MAAC Golf Championships

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL – Following the completion of round one of the 2021 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Men's & Women's Golf Championships at Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course on Friday, Iona College holds a slight edge to top the men’s championship leaderboard, while Quinnipiac University heads into Saturday with the lead in the women’s championship. Iona leads the men’s field at 283 (-5), while Quinnipiac paces the women’s field at 304 (+16).

With the start of the championship, this marks the 19th time since 2000 that the MAAC Championships has been played at a course at the Walt Disney World® Resort. Past editions of the championship have taken place at Disney’s Palm Golf Course and Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course.
 
Iona was led by Justin Burkhamer with a 69 (-3), who is currently second on the men’s individual leaderboard after round one. The senior opened the day with a pair of birdies on holes 10 & 11, and went on to record a total of six for the day. Oisin Devereux (-2) and Garrett Giles (-1) also managed to finish the day below par and start tomorrow among the top ten.
 
Only one stroke behind Iona is Fairfield University, ending the day with a score of 284 (-4). The Stags were led by the men’s individual leader, Jason Salameno, who posted a four-under 68 round. Salameno led all golfers with a combined eight birdies for the round, but suffered a setback on the par-5 14th hole with a double bogey.  Patrick McCarthy also finishes the day tied for a top-three position with a two-under, 70.
 
Monmouth University finished in third for the day at 290 (+2), followed closely by Canisius College and their total of 291 (+3). Rider University carded a 294 (+6), with Siena College finishing in sixth with a 296 (+8). Rounding out the men’s group are Niagara University with a 298 (+210), and Manhattan College in eighth place with a score of 308 (+20).
 
For the women, Quinnipiac finished with three golfers in the top-seven to power them to the first-round team lead. Leading the way for the Bobcats is sophomore Kaylee Sakoda, who wrapped up the day tied for second place with a 74 (+2), as well as finishing tied for the lead in pars with 14. Also appearing in the top-ten for Quinnipiac was Darby Lillibridge, who is one shot behind Sakode with a 75 (+3) and one shot ahead of teammate Leeyeen Peralta and her 76 (+4).
 
The defending Women’s MAAC Champions, the University at Albany, sits in second place with a score of 309 (+21). All five of the Great Danes finished within the top-20, with Amber Thornton (+2) and Pasqualina Tartaglione (+4) earning a pair of top-10 scores for the day. Collectively, Albany were the best performers on the Par 4s, finishing the day at +13, and tallied the most pars for the round with 56.   
 
Not far behind is the University of Hartford with a 312 (+24) and the women’s individual leader, Maria Loza. Loza was the only player to avoid going over-par for the day, finishing even at 72.  Among all players in the women’s championship, Loza topped the field when playing on Par 3s (-1) and Par 4s (-1), while also tying for the lead in birdies with three.

Fairfield concluded the day in fourth with a 314 (+26), just ahead of fifth-place University of Dayton with a score of 315 (+27), and two shots ahead of sixth-place Monmouth and their total of 316 (+28). Rounding out the women’s side is Siena in seventh place with a 331 (+43), Niagara in eighth at 334 (+46) and La Salle University in ninth with a score of 348 (+60).
 
The men’s and women’s second round tees off Saturday, April 24, at 7:30 a.m. The men will tee off on the first hole, with the women teeing off the 10th. For information regarding the 2021 MAAC Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships, visit maacsports.com/golf.

About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) celebrates its 40th year of competition during the 2020-21 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.