Golf Places 3rd at GSAC Championship Tournament!
Toms River, NJ - With less than two weeks left in their 2026 Season, the Ocean County College Golf Team is firing for the flags. Shooting a season-low 333, Coach Sean Fawcett's Vikings placed 3rd at Wednesday's Garden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) Championship, just seven strokes, or a mere chip and a tap in, behind tournament host and archrival, County College of Morris (326), and fellow top rival RCSJ Gloucester (328).
Team co-captain Maxx Agnello (Lacey, NJ/Central Regional H.S.) led the way for OCC, carding two birdies to a personal best 5-over-par 77. Agnello finished just four shots off of first with a 73, and earned First Team All-Conference honors.
"I wasn't trying to do anything special, just played simple golf, and it worked out well," said Agnello. "On hole 15, I had 105 yards from the right rough. I hit it to less than 2 feet and tapped it in for my second birdie of the day. I'm super proud of our team and the way that we've improved through the season," Agnello continued. "To be honest, I was thinking about playing hacky sack with the guys after the match and I think that helped free me up. We've gotten much closer as a team in the last few months and I'm very grateful for that."
First year player Aaron Palmer (Toms River, NJ/Toms River East H.S.) chipped in with a birdie and a fine 8th place round of 81 to earn himself Second Team All-Conference recognition, while teammates Danny Sicknick (Lacey, NJ/Lacey Township H.S.), Cole Hinton (Manchester, NJ/Manchester H.S.) and Ryan Lehrach (Brick, NJ/Brick Township H.S.) also played well.
Next up for OCC is May 11-12's Region 19 Championship, once again being held at UCNJ's Ash Brook Golf Course in Scotch Plains, NJ. OCC placed 3rd at last year's Region 19 Championship, behind RCSJ Gloucester and CC Morris.
"I believe we're starting to play up to our ability at just the right time," said Coach Fawcett. "We're aiming for fairways and greens. The "keeping it simple" approach works. I think sometimes we try too hard to make birdies happen, and that usually doesn't work out. Jack Nicklaus, the greatest golfer of all time, always said that he made more birdies playing for par and more bogeys trying to make birdie. It's a great lesson for life as well. I'm pleased with the team and how they've learned and come together as the season has gone along. Hopefully we can keep the momentum going for Regions."
