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Somerset, NJ - Sacred Heart ‘s Patrick Fillian (Tinton Falls, NJ/St. Rose) was selected Northeast Conference Men’s Golfer of the Year, a title with which he is familiar as the senior Pioneer claimed the honor for the second consecutive year. An unprecedented five-time NEC Golfer of the Week earlier this season, Fillian hit a hot streak during SHU’s spring slate winning three individual medalist honors in a row, beginning with a five under par 139 (70-69) at the 4th Annual Monmouth Hawk Invitational on Mar. 28-29. Two weeks later, the Tinton Falls, NJ native shared the top spot at the New England Division I Championships carding rounds of 72-38 (110), followed by another triumph at the Northeast Invitational, hosted by URI, on Apr. 20-21 after recording a one-under 141 (68-73) to best the field by three strokes and to notch the sixth victory of his career.. During his senior campaign, Fillian finished in the top-10 on the individual leaderboard in every event, including his most recent eighth-place performance at the 2009 NEC Championship Tournament. On the par 72, 6,937-yard layout on the International Course at ChampionsGate in ChampionsGate, FL, Fillian fired rounds of 75-74-73 for a three-day total of 222, earning all-tournament distinction. Fillian also received a spot on the all-conference first team, while his 71.8 stroke average bests the league.

Following a successful debut season, the Pioneers’ Leo Garcia (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) was tabbed NEC Men’s Golf Rookie of the Year and also took a spot on the all-NEC second team. Hailing from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, Garcia posted a trio of top-10 performances in his freshman campaign with SHU, including a sixth-place standing at the Monmouth Hawk Invitational with matching 74s (148). In his very next outing, Garcia posted a 113 (74-39) at the New England Championships, good for a share of the seventh slot on the individual leaderboard. Garcia capped off the 2008-09 season with sole possession of seventh place at the NEC Championship. The newcomer carded a three under 69 on the first day of competition and followed with a 75 to sit at an even 144 after 36 holes of golf in ChampionsGate, FL. Garcia’s final-round 76 left him with a total of 220, marking SHU’s second-best score. Garcia also posted a 74.8 stroke average.

An additional four student-athletes were selected to the all-NEC first team, including Central Connecticut State’s Eric Hawerchuk (Orangeville, Ontario), Fairleigh Dickinson’s Robert Cerabone (Commack, NY), Long Island’s Greg Nicolson (Edinburgh, Scotland) and Saint Francis’ (PA) Michael Magalski (Spring Grove, PA/Spring Grove).

The individual champion at the 2009 NEC Championship, Hawerchuk navigated the International Course at ChampionsGate to finish four under (212) after rounds of 68-69-75. The sophomore’s two-round score of 137 at the league event earned second place on the Conference’s all-time 36-hole championship performance list. Hawerchuk’s 2008-09 campaign also saw the sophomore record five top-10 outings, including the ECAC Championships, the Patriot Shootout, the New England Championships, the Peacock Invitational and the NEC Championship. A consistent Cerabone, the 2008 NEC Rookie of the Year, logged a total of 215 (72-72-71) at ChampionsGate to earn a four-way tie for the second slot. The sophomore Knight also claimed a spot on the league’s weekly honor roll earlier in the season and maintained a 74.9 stroke average.

Nicolson, a three-time NEC Golfer of the Week as a senior, reached multiple milestones during his final season as a Blackbird. On Oct. 27-28, the Edinburgh, Scotland native captured his first career title at the Mount St. Mary’s Fall Invitational with rounds of 70-78 (148), besting the field of 58 by three strokes. At the league tournament a few weeks ago, Nicolson became just the second golfer in NEC history and first since 2003 to pen a 67 during championship competition. That mark was bookended by rounds of 70 and 78 for a one under 215, good for a share of second place overall. Nicolson also joined Hawerchuk on the league’s championship performance list as his 137 after 36 holes tied for the number two spot.

With a 73.84 stroke average and a top-10 outing in each of his six events this season, Magalski rounds out the all-NEC first team. During his junior campaign, the Spring Grove, PA product displayed a one under 215 (69-72-74) at the Conference tournament to tie for second place, while Magalski also logged a pair of sixth-place finishes, including the Colgate Invitational (78-74=152) and the IUP Invitational (76-69=145).

Joining Garcia as a SHU representative on the all-NEC second team is senior Matt Belizze (North Salem, NY/North Salem). During the fall portion of the Pioneers’ schedule, Belizze won his first career individual title after carding a birdie on the first playoff hole at the 74th Annual New England Intercollegiate Golf Association Championship on Oct. 20-21. The senior landed fourth after day one with a 76, and came back to fire a one-under par 71 on day two to jump up the leaderboard and earn a four-way tie for first.

Rounding out the all-conference second team honorees are CCSU’s Tim Buczak (Meriden, CT), Monmouth’s Greg Etimos (East Islip, NY/East Islip) and Robert Morris’ C.G. Mercatoris (Brookville, PA/Brookville). Buczak recorded a trio of top-10 finishes during his senior season, including a tie for sixth (76-72=148) at the Northeast Invitational, marking his best outing of 2008-09. Buczak concluded his career as a Blue Devil with a stroke average of 77.4 per round. The lone Hawk to earn all-NEC distinction, Etimos bested his squad with a 75.5 stroke average. The sophomore notched six top-10 outings this season, saving his best 18 holes of golf for last as Etimos fired a three under 69 on day one of the NEC Championship to mark his season low round.

Mercatoris enjoyed a career outing at the Bucknell Fall Invitational on Sept. 12. In opening round action, the sophomore tied his career low by firing a 72 on the par-70, 6,227-yard layout and proceeded to decimate that record, besting his previous mark by six strokes and recording a tournament-low 66. Mercatoris' two-day total of 138 landed him in second place overall and earned NEC Golfer of the Week honors. The Brookville, PA product posted a 74.95 average and concluded his second season as a Colonial with a sixth-place (68-73-77=218) showing at the NEC Championship.

 

2009 NEC Men’s Golf Award Winners

Golfer of the Year
Patrick Fillian     SHU     Sr.     Tinton Falls, NJ/St. Rose

Rookie of the Year
Leo Garcia          SHU     Fr.     Guaynabo, Puerto Rico

 

2009 NEC Men’s Golf First Team All-Conference
Name                School  Yr      Hometown/High School
Eric Hawerchuk      CCSU    So.     Orangeville, Ontario
Robert Cerabone     FDU     So.     Commack, NY
Greg Nicolson       LIU     Sr.     Edinburgh, Scotland
Patrick Fillian     SHU     Sr.     Tinton Falls, NJ/St. Rose
Michael Magalski    SFPA    Jr.     Spring Grove, PA/Spring Grove

2009 NEC Men’s Golf Second Team All-Conference
Name                School  Yr      Hometown/High School
Tim Buczak          CCSU    Sr.     Meriden, CT
Greg Etimos         MU      So.     East Islip, NY/East Islip
C.G. Mercatoris     RMU     So.     Brookville, PA/Brookville
Matt Belizze        SHU     Sr.     North Salem, NY/North Salem
Leo Garcia          SHU     Fr.     Guaynabo, Puerto Rico