By: Scott Guise, Director of Athletic Communications

PENFIELD, N.Y. – The York College men's golf team saw their 2024-25 campaign come-to-a-close after the second round of the NCAA Division III National Championship tournament at Midvale Country Club in Penfield, N.Y.
 
After a strong day one that had the Spartans just four strokes above the team cut line, day two was not nearly as kind to the Spartans as they dropped 12 spots to finish 34^th of 43 teams, missing the cut by 20 strokes. The Spartans shot 631 for the tournament as they carded a 306 on Tuesday followed by a 325 on Tuesday. York played their second round at the Cobblestone Creek Country Club, the co-host for the tournament with Midvale.
 
Junior Jacob Fripp, the 2025 MAC Commonwealth Player of the Year, had the best day for the Spartans as he shot a six-over-par 78. Fripp started on the fourth hole and was two-under through his first six holes of the round. Fripp had a tough back nine with six bogeys, two pars and a double for a 44. He finished out the tournament with three pars for his 78. Fripp finished with a two-day total of 159 as he placed tied for 148^th overall.
 
Senior Matthew Salter closed out his Spartan career with an 81 on Wednesday. He started his round on the fourth hole as he was two-over through five holes. Salter made the turn and began the back nine with three bogeys and one birdie. After a pair of pars, Salter had a triple on 16 as he shot 41 on the back nine. He concluded his round with two pars and two bogeys for a 40. Salter finished in a 17-way tie for 107^th place with a tournament score of 156.
 
Sophomore Thomas O'Connell and senior Gavin Ganter each shot 83 on Wednesday. O'Connell started his day on hole six. He had a triple bogey followed by a bogey, a birdie and a par over his first four holes. He then played very consistent golf over the back nine as he was two over for a team-best 38. O'Connell played his final five holes of his championship six over as he finished with a score of 45 on the front nine. O'Connell placed tied for 154^th with a score of 160 after shooting 77 on Tuesday.
 
Ganter capped his York career with his 83. He started on hole four and was five-over through his opening six holes on Wednesday. Ganter started his back nine with a double but followed with a birdie on hole 11. After three pars, he had a bogey and a double before finishing the back nine with a par and a bogey for a 41. Ganter concluded his day with a par, a bogey and another par to shoot 42 on the front nine. Ganter finished tied for 188^th as he shot 165 for the tournament.
 
Senior Jason Velez concluded his tournament with a tough Wednesday after a brilliant round on Tuesday. Velez shot 87 on Wednesday as he started his day on the fifth hole. He had a bogey, a birdie, a bogey, a par and a double as he was three over through five holes. After a birdie on 11 dropped him to two over, Velez had a bogey, back-to-back doubles and another bogey on 16. He recorded a par on 17 followed by a bogey on 18 for a back-nine 42. After a pair of pars on the first two holes of the front nine, Velez had a quad and a double as he finished with a 45 on the front nine. He finished tied for 148^th in the tournament with a two-day total of 159.

The national championship tournament concludes an outstanding season which saw the Spartans earn their third MAC Commonwealth championship and post five top-five tournament finishes during the year.
 
York must say goodbye to Velez, Ganter, Salter and Bennett Elgin as the class graduates as one of the most successful in school history. The Spartans captured three conference titles and made three NCAA Tournament appearances during the sustained stretch of four-year excellence. Fripp and O'Connell will be the returning starters who lead the Spartans into the 2025-26 season.