University of Delaware Athletics
Mike Keogh Named CAA Men's Golf Coach of the Year, Ni?o Rosal Selected CAA All-Academic
5/14/2015 12:14:00 PM | Men's Golf
Keogh recently concluded his 14th year at the helm of the Blue Hens, leading a young squad to four second place team finishes during the year. Delaware, which featured four freshmen and junior Kyle Martin among its top players, opened the season with a second place finish at the Navy Fall Classic, before tying for second at the Cornell Invitational two weeks later.
Delaware placed second at the Binghamton Fall Invitational on Oct. 5-6, and again was runner-up at the Villanova Wildcat Invitational on Mar. 30-31. The Blue Hens finished sixth at the CAA Championships but were just five shots behind William & Mary and James Madison, which tied for second place.
Additionally the Blue Hens featured four different players who carded a round in the 60's, and set a UD single season record with a 75.66 team average round. Delaware finished second or higher in four tournaments for the first time since the 2009-10 campaign, and featured three players with an average round under 75 for the first time in school history.
Freshman Jack Gianniny led UD with a 74.47 stroke average, the second lowest by a freshman in Blue Hen history, while classmate Kieran Purcell finished second with a 74.63 average round and Martin was third at 74.77 shots per round.
Gianniny, Purcell and fellow rookie Erik Dulik all posted second place individual finishes during the year, while Martin recorded four top-six finishes including placing fifth at the CAA Championships.
Keogh, a 1973 UD graduate, becomes the second Delaware men's golf coach to win the league award, along with Jim Kent, who was tabbed the 1993 North Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year.
“This award is a testament to the leadership of Kyle (Martin) and the upperclassmen for taking the four freshmen seeing a lot of playing time under their wing,” Keogh said. “To be able to manufacture four second place finishes during the year really speaks well for the leadership of the team. I'm very fortunate to have Patrick (Aylward) as my assistant as well. We both think alike and trust each other to make correct decisions on the course.”
Rosal, who carries a 3.53 grade point average as an exercise science major, participated in three invitationals for Delaware in 2014-15, averaging 75.88 shots per round. He carded a 73-75-77-225 at the George Mason Patriot Invitational, and fired a 74-75-149 to tie for 22nd place at the Villanova Wildcat Invitational.
A local product from Camden, Del. (Caesar Rodney HS), Rosal was selected to the CAA Academic Honor Roll in 2013.
2015 Men's Golf All-CAA First Team: Ryan Cole, James Madison; Christopher Crawford, Drexel; Alex Hicks, William & Mary; John Jonas, College of Charleston; Zach Munroe, College of Charleston
Second Team: Jonathan Dilanni, Elon; Thomas Eldridge, UNCW; Charlie Kern, William & Mary; Poom Pattaropong, James Madison; Jon Weiss, James Madison
All-Academic Team: Ryan Cole, James Madison; Yoseph Dance, Drexel; Jonathan Dilanni, Elon; Jens Geweke, UNCW; Davis Morrison, William & Mary; Zach Munroe, College of Charleston; Niño Rosal, Delaware; Tyler Silberberg, Towson; David Won, Hofstra
Mike Keogh, DelawareFOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Kevin Tritt at: ktritt@udel.edu (email) / 302-831-8715 (office) / 302-383-5005 (cell)
Players Mentioned
