Tigers Rise To Fourth Place At NCAA Preview

Mark David Wright and the Tigers finished fourth in one of the best fields of the 2015-16 season at the NCAA Preview. File Photo | Nick Falzerano
Mark David Wright and the Tigers finished fourth in one of the best fields of the 2015-16 season at the NCAA Preview. File Photo | Nick Falzerano

ROCHESTER, NY - The big winner of the weekend may have been Mother Nature, but the Wittenberg Tigers still achieved at a high level in the Flower City Preview with a fourth-place finish while competing against one of the strongest fields of the 2015-16 regular season.

The Flower City Preview was supposed to feature rounds on both courses set to host the 2016 NCAA Division III Tournament. However, inclement weather conditions forced the teams to compete only two rounds at Midvale Country Club, as play was suspended midway through the second round on Saturday and the teams were only able to complete the round on Sunday.

Wittenberg moved up three spots during the delayed second round, going from seventh after Round 1 to fourth in the final 18-team standings. St. John Fisher, the host school, won the event with a two-day total of 604, followed by defending national champion Methodist at 608. Huntingdon took third at 611, and Wittenberg tied Mary Hardin-Baylor for fourth at 614.

Individually, a pair of Tigers led the way as freshman Colin Laszlo (Waipahu, Hawaii/Punahou) and junior Sam Stilwell (Sterling, Va./Dominion) posted matching scores of 152 to finish in a tie for 15th place. Senior Sam Geise (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro) was right behind in 27th with a score of 154.

Junior Mark David Wright (Westerville, Ohio/Tree of Life) placed 41st with a score of 156, and sophomore Maxim Boone (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster) rounded out the Tigers in the field with a score of 158, good for 46th in the 90-player field.

Written By: Ryan Maurer