Mullins Wins POTY, All-OCCAC Teams Announced As Men's Golf Season Closes

By Nicholas Huenefeld/OCCAC Sports Information

Perrysburg, Ohio---It was a huge weekend in men's golf for the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC) at Belmont Country Club as Owens Community College hosted the final two conference tournaments of the season, OCCAC awards were announced and Region XII tournament bids were earned.

Owens Community College, who already clinched the conference championship last weekend, took home two more first place finishes over this weekend and earned the top bid to the Region XII tournament May 16-17. On Sunday, they shot a 284, led by Karit Kitipongpatana's 5-under 67. Then, they shot a 296 on Monday, led by 1-over 73's from Will Mullins and Dominic DiGiacomo.

Cincinnati State, led by Evan Bryan and Alex Ebel, posted a pair of second place finishes. In Sunday's Express Invitational, Bryan and Ebel each shot a 76 while leading Cincinnati State to a 310 team score. Then, in Monday's Owens Invitational, Bryan and Ebel each shot even par 72s to tie for first place individually and give Cincinnati State a 306 team score.

While Owens and Cincinnati State finished one and two in the conference standings, Columbus State Community College and Lakeland Community College battled all season for third place. Each team took home a third place and a fourth place finish this weekend, and they ended up tied for the conference's third spot.

On Sunday, Philip Campisi's 3-over 75 led Columbus State to a 317 team score and a third place finish - eight strokes ahead of Lakeland's 325. On Monday, Brian Irish's 5-over 77 led Lakeland to a third place finish - two strokes ahead of Columbus State.

After a playoff, Lakeland earned the conference's second bid to the Region XII tournament. Cincinnati State, which competes as an NJCAA Division III team, will advance to the Division III Region XII tournament.

OCCAC Player of the Year

Mullins, a sophomore from Owens Community College, captured the OCCAC Player of the Year award. After shooting a 71 on Sunday to finish in second place, he shot a 73 on Monday for a third place tie. Furthermore, he totaled 589 strokes over eight conference tournaments and finished in the top five of each tournament.

First Team All-OCCAC

Aside from Mullins, who finished first with a 73.625 average, Karit Kitipongpatana (Owens), Bryan (Cincinnati State), DiGiacomo (Owens) and Ebel (Cincinnati State) comprised the 2016 First Team All-OCCAC. Kitipongpatana finished second with 601 strokes, barely edging out Bryan, who finished at 602. DiGiacomo finished fourth at 606 and Ebel came in fifth at 610.

Second Team All-OCCAC

Bandit Chaisuk (Owens), Harrison Quirk (Owens), Dylan Holsclaw (Owens), Hayden Burns (Cincinnati State) and Irish (Columbus State) all earned Second Team All-OCCAC honors. Chaisuk finished sixth in the league at 612 strokes, while Quirk came in at 625 and Holsclaw was at 633. Burns nearly caught Holsclaw, but finished at 635 and Irish was just behind him at 637.