VICTOR, N.Y. – The Gannon University men's golf team shot up the leaderboard on day two of the 2022 NCAA Division II Atlantic/East Regional, climbing five spots to fifth place thanks to a combined score of 294, the lowest round of the day among all of the 20 teams competing in the event at Ravenwood Golf Club.
 
The Knights are now just eight strokes behind tournament leaders St. Thomas Aquinas, who fired a tournament-low 286 in round one but finished with a 300 in round two to allow the rest of the field to play some catch-up. Southern New Hampshire trails them by four strokes with its two-day score of 590, while the rest of the top five includes Charleston (third place with a two-day total of 591), Davis & Elkins College in fourth place with a 592, and then Gannon in fifth with a 594.
 
The fantastic day for the Golden Knights was led by Abe Holmes (Barrie, Ontario/Barrie North Collegiate), who produced Gannon's lowest round of the day with a one-under-par 71, including birdies on the first, 12^th, and 16^th holes. He improved mightily on his 77 from round one and climbed 45 spots on the leaderboard to 20^th place.
 
Sophomore Connor Bennink (Kennett Square, Pa./Unionville) continued his consistent play, shooting an even-par 72 and ending the day tied for 10^th place. Bennink shot even-par on every hole on the back nine, while his front nine included a bogey on the par-five sixth hole and a birdie on the par-five ninth.
 
The rest of the Gannon lineup included solid days from Michael Wareham (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) (75, +3) and Elijah Ruppert (Fleetwood, Pa./Brandywine Heights) (76, +4), who both ended round two tied for 42^nd place. Jacob Mertz (Williamsville, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute) currently sits tied for 94^th place after a second-round score of 82.

St. Thomas Aquinas' Nolan Skaggs is the tournament's overall individual leader and is two-under-par for the tournament with a combined 142. Davis & Elkins' Jordan Hyland, Southern New Hampshire's AJ Cavotta, and Wheeling's Yadhu Urs (playing as an individual) sit just one stroke behind and are both tied for second with two-day totals of 143.
 
The Knights are the defending champions of the NCAA Division II Atlantic/East Regional and will try to put together a title challenge as well as qualify for the 2022 NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championships in tomorrow's final round. Continuing live coverage can be found here.

TEAM RESULTS AFTER ROUND TWO
1. St. Thomas Aquinas                              286-300--586 (+10)
2.. Southern New Hampshire                295-295--590 (+14)
3.. Charleston                                             292-299--591 (+15)
4. Davis & Elkins                                        297-295--592 (+16)
5. Gannon                                               300-294--594 (+18)
T6. Le Moyne                                              300-297--597 (+21)
T6. Pitt-Johnstown                                    297-300--597 (+21)
8. West Chester                                          299-299--598 (+22)
T9. Post                                                         293-306—599 (+23)
T9. IUP                                                           301-298--599 (+23)
T9. Goldey-Beacom                                   298-301--599 (+23)
12. Livingstone                                            295-305--600 (+24)
13. Cal U                                                        303-300--603 (+27)
T14. Assumption                                        303-304--607 (+31)
T14. West Liberty                                       303-304--607 (+31)
T16. Wilmington (DE)                               311-297--608 (+32)
T16. Mercyhurst                                         307-301--608 (+32)
18. Franklin Pierce                                    306-305--611 (+35)
19. Bentley                                                  307-317--624 (+48)
20. St. Anselm                                           318-314--632 (+56)
 
GANNON INDIVIDUAL RESULTS AFTER ROUND TWO
T10: – Connor Bennink (Kennett Square, Pa./Unionville) – 74-72--146 (+2)
T20: – Abe Holmes (Barrie, Ontario/Barrie North Collegiate) – 77-71--148 (+4)
T42: – Elijah Ruppert (Fleetwood, Pa./Brandywine Heights) – 74-76--150 (+6)
T42: – Michael Wareham (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) – 75-75--150 (+6)
T94: – Jacob Mertz (Williamsville, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute) - 77-82--159 (+15)