Norman, Oklahoma - On Monday, Division II PING All-Region honorees were announced by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) to coincide with the start of the NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championship. Over 100 players across eight regions - East, Atlantic, Southeast, South, Midwest, South Central, Central and West - earned all-region honors for 2022.
Spartans Donte Groppuso, Nolan Skaggs, Norman Viron and Jake Yarmolowitz were selected to the East Region Team. All four men played integral rolls in the Spartans' outstanding season, which included a first place finish at the NCAA Division II Atlantic/East Super Regional and the program's ninth trip to the NCAA Division II National Championship in the last 14 years.
The 2021-2022 season was a huge success for St. Thomas Aquinas College and was highlighted by six-top 10 team finishes in the regular season, with the Spartans finishing in the top five in six of those events and placing first at both the Dominican College Charger Challenge and Mercyhurst University Spring Invitational.
At the NCAA Division II Atlantic/East Super Regional, St. Thomas Aquinas captured its third regional crown in program history, finishing the three-day regional event with a total team score of 881, which was 17 over par and two strokes ahead of second place finishers, the University of Charleston (883/+19). The Spartans never relinquished their hold on first place at any point during the tournament, leading by as much as six strokes over the UC Golden Eagles after day one and as few as one stroke following day two.
Winning the East/Atlantic Regional, STAC advanced to the NCAA Division II National Championship where the maroon and gold battled against 19 opposing D2 institutions in a three-day, 54-hole stroke play tournament at TPC Michigan. The Spartans improved with each round of the tourney, posting collective scores of 308, 306 and 301 for a final total of 915 and shooting 51 over par, to finish 12th overall.
Division II PING All-Region Team
East Region
Tyler Birdd, Le Moyne
Nicholas Bove, Le Moyne
AJ Cavotta, Southern New Hampshire
Matt Conti, Southern New Hampshire
Alejandro Gomez Cervantes, Dominican (NY)
Donte Groppuso, St. Thomas Aquinas
Jack Pepin, Southern New Hampshire
Ethan Phillips, Post
Nolan Skaggs, St. Thomas Aquinas
Norman Viron, St. Thomas Aquinas
Ian Wivestad, Post
Jake Yarmolowitz, St. Thomas Aquinas