Iona Men’s Golf Complete Comeback, Win Third Straight MAAC Championship
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL – Iona College won their third consecutive MAAC Men’s Golf Championship on Sunday at Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course. The Gaels once again led the men’s field with a score of 725 (+5) to clinch the team championship by three shots. This is also Iona’s seventh MAAC Men’s Golf Championship, the high among active conference members.
Due to the occurrence of inclement weather on Sunday Morning, the championship’s final round was reduced to a 9-hole round.
The champions began the day three strokes behind Fairfield University for the team lead, but pushed ahead late thanks to a three under-par 33 performance by Oisin Devereux and a two under-par 34 day from William Fleck. Devereux led the way for the Gaels for the weekend, concluding the championship in second place with a four under-par 176. Justin Burkhamer also wrapped up the weekend in the top-10 with a three over-par 183.
Austin Devereux from Rider University was the winner of the 2021 McLeod Trophy. Since 1986, the Charles “Scott” McLeod Trophy has been presented annually to the individual winners of the MAAC Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships. The award is presented in memory of Scott McLeod, a 1980 graduate of Iona College, a member of the Pelham Country Club, and a sponsor of the MAAC Golf Championship when the event was first held at Pelham.
Devereux followed up his second round, three under-par 69 with an equally strong two under-par 34 to clinch the individual title at a six under-par 174. With the title, he becomes Rider’s first-ever player to win the McLeod Trophy, as he powered the Broncs to a program-best, second-place finish in the team championship at eight over-par (728). Devereux also led the field in pars for the weekend, recording 35 over the 45-hole championship.
Iona’s Garrett Giles earned MAAC Men’s Rookie of the Year honors. Giles finished the championship in a tie for 12
th place with a score of 184 (+4). Giles broke into the top-ten after staying even through two rounds with a score of 144. His nine birdies were tied for the seventh-most of the weekend.
Fairfield head coach Doug Holub was selected as both the MAAC Men's and Women's Golf Coach of the Year. Holub is the first coach to win both awards in the same season. He is Fairfield's second-ever coach to receive Coach of the Year honors on the men’s side, and is the program’s first-ever MAAC Women's Golf Coach of the Year recipient.
| 2021 Men’s Golf All-MAAC Team |
| Place |
Name |
Class |
School |
Total |
| 1 |
Austin Devereux |
Sr. |
Rider |
174 (-6) |
| 2 |
Oisin Devereux |
Gr. |
Iona |
176 (-4) |
| 3 |
Jason Salameno |
Jr. |
Fairfield |
180 (E) |
| 4 |
Connor Bekefi |
So. |
Rider |
182 (+2) |
| T5 |
Ron Robinson |
Sr. |
Monmouth |
183 (+3) |
| T5 |
Erik Stevens |
So. |
Monmouth |
183 (+3) |
| T5 |
Brody Yates |
Jr. |
Siena |
183 (+3) |
| T5 |
Ryan Sabo |
So. |
Niagara |
183 (+3) |
| T5 |
Patrick McCarthy |
So. |
Fairfield |
183 (+3) |
| T5 |
Justin Burkhamer |
Sr. |
Iona |
183 (+3) |
| T5 |
Shane DeVincenzo |
So. |
Fairfield |
183 (+3) |
Iona will find out what awaits them next in the 2021 NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship Selection Show on Wednesday, May 5 at 2:00 p.m. The show will air live on the GOLF Channel. 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 40
th 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.