Trinity's Grossman Claims Player of the Year Honors

HADLEY, Mass. - Spurred by an even-par 72 on the second day of the NESCAC Golf Championship Qualifier, Trinity sophomore Josh Grossman (Great Neck, N.Y.) has been named the 2007 NESCAC Player of the Year. Grossman helped the Bantams earn the right to host the 2008 NESCAC Golf Championship in April by finishing atop the field of 50 with a two-day total of 146. Grossman is the third consecutive Trinity linksman that has earned NESCAC Player of the Year honors, after George Boudria received the award in 2005 and sophomore Reid Longley (Atlanta, Ga.) claimed it in 2006.

After a +2 performance of 74 during day one on Saturday, Grossman, who also earned NESCAC Golf All-Conference First Team honors, shaved two strokes off his first round score to card the lowest score on Sunday with an even 72. Joining Grossman on the First Team was Longley, the 2006 NESCAC Player and Rookie of the Year. Longley earned First Team honors for the second-straight year after finishing in a four-way tie for fourth with a score of 150 during the qualifier, as he posted a Saturday-best one-under at 71.

Middlebury junior Harrison Bane (Marblehead, Mass.) was the only other holdover from last year's All-NESCAC First Team on this year's squad. Bane finished tied for fourth with a two-day total of 150, as he improved his day one score of 77 by shooting a one-over 73 on Sunday afternoon, helping the defending champion Panthers advance to April's championship round. Bane's performance gave him First Team honors for the third consecutive year, as the 2005 NESCAC Rookie of the Year finished second during the two previous autumn events.

Out of the seven members that comprised the NESCAC Golf All-Conference First Team, selected based upon individual finish at the qualifier, three were first year players. Hamilton freshman Brad Roche (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.) placed second at the NESCAC Golf Qualifier with a score of 148, just two strokes shy of Trinity's Grossman. In addition to being named to the First Team, Roche also earned NESCAC Rookie of the Year honors, as the Continentals finished fourth this past weekend. Colby rookie Gus Thompson (New Canaan, Conn.) followed Roche, placing third with a two-day total of 149 to become the first individual from Colby to earn All-NESCAC honors since 2001. Williams freshman Jacob Wagner (Wilmette, Ill.) was not far behind Roche and Thompson at the qualifier, finishing as one of the members of the four-way tie for fourth with a score of 150. Wagner and the Ephs secured third place and a spot in the April championship round.

Rounding out the 2007 NESCAC Golf All-Conference First Team was Bowdoin sophomore Ryan Blossom (Concord, N.H.). Blossom joined Middlebury's Bane, Trinity's Longley and Williams' Wagner in a four-way tie for fourth place with a score of 150.

NESCAC Coach of the Year honors went to Trinity head coach Bill Detrick for the second consecutive year. Detrick guided the Bantams to a first-place showing at the NESCAC Golf Qualifier this past weekend, the third year in a row that Trinity has finished in the top three at the autumn NESCAC event after placing third in 2005 and second last year.