BARRE, Vt. - For the first time in program history, the Emmanuel men's golf program has claimed the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Men's Golf Championship, qualifying them for the NCAA Tournament in May 2027. The Saints will travel to Williamsburg, Va., for the NCAA Men's Golf Championship in the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance in its 17-season history. The Saints shot a two-day total of 624, claiming a two-shot victory.

The round of the day belonged to sophomore Sean Fenton, who went out in the No. 4 spot in the Saints lineup. After bogeying the par-4 second, Fenton produced his first career collegiate eagle, coming on the 308-yard par-4 third, kickstarting his run to the low round of the day. Fenton turned in 1-over-par, 36, before coming home in 40, shooting Tuesday's low round at 76.

Clutch pars became the theme of the back nine for the Saints, starting with junior Andrew Lavoie on the 14th. After hitting his drive well right, he managed to advance his ball toward the green, leaving a difficult 60-foot putt. He ran that six feet by, but the comebacker found the center of the cup.

First-year Aiden Boyce followed with an up-and-down on 18 for another clutch par. Right of the green on his approach and facing a downhill chip from 15 yards, Boyce chipped down to seven feet. Another important par save for the Saints, Boyce center-cupped the putt, capping off his round of 8-over, 79.

Senior Ryan Brunet was steady throughout the day, competing for the individual championship coming down the stretch. Although his round ended with a double-bogey on 18, the Saints had the team title locked up with his tap in for the win.

Sophomore Jack Ouellette finished off his appearance at the GNAC Championship with a round of 10-over-par, 81.

Entering the day tied with New England College and two shots ahead of Norwich, the three teams shuffled through the top-three positions throughout the front nine. But three team birdies on the par-5 10th hole helped the Saints start to pull away. Norwich answered back at the par-5, 15th, as a team score of 2-under outscored the Saints 2-over stretch, which, at the time, cut the Saints advantage to four.

Following the tournament, Fenton and Ouellette were named to the GNAC All-Conference Second Team for their top-10 finishes. Brunet and Lavoie made the GNAC First Team thanks to their top-5 finishes. Head Coach Julio Avila, who has been with the Saints golf program since its start in 2009, was voted the GNAC Coach of the Year.

With their First Team selections, Brunet and Lavoie become the second and third Saints in program history to be named to the GNAC All-Conference First Team, joining Ian Reynolds '25 as the only other player to receive that honor. In addition, Fenton joins this trio as the only Saints in team history to be named to an All-Conference team twice in their careers.

The team score of 624 is now the lowest GNAC Championship score for the Saints, shattering the previous record of 642 at the 2014 GNAC Championship. The total is also the best two-day score in team history, beating out a score of 636 at the 2012 Southern Maine Fall Classic. Shooting 312 in both rounds, that score is the best single-day score at the GNAC Championship in team history, and tied for the seventh-lowest score the program has shot in a day among all rounds played since 2009.

The NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championship is scheduled for May 18-21, 2027, at Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Va. The Saints will be joined by 42 other teams at the NCAA Tournament, as conference championships happen throughout the fall and into next spring.