GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS at PSAC CHAMPIONSHIP

DATE/TIME: Friday, Oct. 16; Saturday, Oct. 17; Sunday, Oct. 18; 54 holes, 18 each day
TEE TIME: 10:00 am
COURSE/LOCATION: Iron Valley Golf Club (par-72) | Lebanon, Pa.
 FORMAT: Play 5, score 4 (Allowed one substitute per day).
 TEAMS: Gannon, Bloomsburg, California (Pa.), Clarion, IUP, Millersville, Pitt-Johnstown, Shepherd, West Chester

 LIVE STATS | TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

The Gannon men's golf team concludes the fall portion of its season this weekend as the Golden Knights travel to Lebanon, Pa., for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships from Friday through Sunday.

Gannon enters the conference championship with plenty of momentum after winning the Howard "Bud" Elwell Invitational at Whispering Woods Golf Club earlier in the week in its final tune-up before the postseason. The Golden Knights finished the two-day tournament at 1-under 575, closing with a 2-under 286 in the final round to earn a 13-stroke victory over California (Pa.).

The victory marked Gannon's first tournament title of the fall and continued a consistent start to the 2026-27 season. The Golden Knights opened with a seventh-place finish in a 20-team field at the UC Invitational before tying for third at the WCU Battlefield Classic and placing fourth among 18 teams at the Sunnehanna Collegiate.

Gannon will look to improve on its third-place finish at the 2025 PSAC Championships. The Golden Knights finished at 36-over par, nine strokes behind champion West Chester and five behind runner-up Pitt-Johnstown.

Since joining the PSAC in 2008, Gannon has established itself as one of the conference's consistent contenders, recording seven consecutive top-four finishes from 2019 through 2025. The Golden Knights captured their first PSAC team championship in 2024, led by Mattia Parrini (Verolengo, Italy/Verolengo), who earned individual medalist honors with an 8-under-par 208.

Gannon also produced an individual champion in 2014 when Gannon Hall of Famer Matt Barto claimed medalist honors with a 5-over-par 147. The Golden Knights have finished among the top three in six of the past seven championships, including runner-up finishes in 2021 and 2022.

Gannon enters the conference championship with plenty of experience and accolades. Rasmus Seppanen (Bastad, Sweden/Akademi Bastad Gymnasium) was named the 2025-26 PSAC Men's Golf Athlete of the Year, while Director of Golf Scott Stano earned PSAC Coach of the Year honors for the second consecutive season. Stano guided the Golden Knights to five tournament victories last season, including the NCAA Atlantic/East Regional championship.

"Really excited about this weekend," said Gannon Director of Golf Scott Stano. "The guys have been working hard throughout the entire semester. Each week has been getting better and better, and the process has been very good. We're going to continue to trust the process, take one shot at a time and focus on what we can control."

The Golden Knights have relied on a combination of experienced veterans and emerging contributors throughout the fall. Senior Mattia Parrini (Verolengo, Italy/Verolengo) leads the team with a 72.1 stroke average through nine rounds, followed by redshirt senior Rasmus Seppanen (Bastad, Sweden/Akademi Bastad Gymnasium) at 72.9. Senior Jacob Wolak (Slippery Rock, Pa./Slippery Rock Area) ranks third on the team with a 73.9 average, while redshirt sophomore Mario Estevez (Gijón, Spain/Colegio Montedeva de Gijón) and freshman Carson Moniz (Laramie, WY/Laramie) have each averaged 74.6 strokes per round.

Gannon's depth was on full display at the Bud Elwell Invitational, where four Golden Knights finished tied for second at even-par 144. Parrini, Seppanen, Wolak and Estevez shared runner-up honors, while Moniz added a top-10 finish at 4-over 148.

Wolak and Estevez each closed the tournament with a 2-under 70, helping Gannon turn a one-stroke opening-round advantage into a 13-stroke victory. The Golden Knights finished with four golfers at even par and five among the tournament's top 10.

GANNON'S EXPECTED LINEUP

1. Mattia Parrini (Verolengo, Italy/Verolengo) | 72.1 stroke average in 9 rounds | 3 top-five finishes
2. Rasmus Seppanen (Bastad, Sweden/Akademi Bastad Gymnasium) | 72.9 stroke average in 9 rounds | 2 top-five finishes
3. Jacob Wolak (Slippery Rock, Pa./Slippery Rock Area) | 73.9 stroke average in 9 rounds | 1 top-five finish
4. Mario Estevez (Gijón, Spain/Colegio Montedeva de Gijón) | 74.6 stroke average in 9 rounds | 1 top-five finish
5. Carson Moniz (Laramie, WY/Laramie) | 74.6 stroke average in 9 rounds | 1 top-10 finish

Substitute: Vincent Lenze (St. Marys, Pa./St. Marys Area) | 80.0 stroke average in 5 rounds | Season-low round of 71

Parrini has paced the Golden Knights throughout the fall, averaging 72.1 strokes over nine rounds. He opened the season with a third-place finish at the UC Invitational after shooting an even-par 210, including a season-low round of 69. The senior has finished among the top five in three of Gannon's four tournaments this season. Parrini will also look to recapture the individual PSAC title after earning medalist honors at the 2024 championships with an 8-under 208.
 
Seppanen ranks second on the team with a 72.9 stroke average through nine rounds. The redshirt senior finished fourth at the WCU Battlefield Classic with an even-par 72 before tying for second at the Bud Elwell Invitational. He has recorded two top-five finishes this fall. The redshirt senior placed ninth at last year's PSAC Championships but later went on to win the NCAA Div II East/Atlantic Regional.

Wolak has recorded a 73.9 stroke average through nine rounds. The senior led Gannon at the Sunnehanna Collegiate, tying for 28th at 5-over 221, before recording his best finish of the season at the Bud Elwell Invitational. He closed the tournament with a 2-under 70 to finish tied for second.

Estevez has recorded a 74.6 stroke average through nine rounds this season. The redshirt sophomore is coming off his best tournament of the fall after tying for second at the Bud Elwell Invitational. He posted rounds of 74 and 70 to finish at even-par 144.

Rounding out Gannon's lineup is Moniz, who has averaged 74.6 strokes through nine rounds in his freshman campaign. He opened his collegiate career with a season-low 67 at the UC Invitational, where he tied for 21st in a field of 122 golfers. Moniz most recently tied for 10th at the Bud Elwell Invitational with a 4-over 148.

Estevez and Moniz will be making their first appearance in the PSAC Championships.

GANNON'S PSAC CHAMPIONSHIP FINISHES (SINCE 2008)

• 2008 – 5th

• 2009 – 7th

• 2010 – 7th

• 2011 – 5th

• 2012 – 6th

• 2013 – 7th

• 2014 – 6th (Matt Barto, individual champion)

• 2015 – T-5th

• 2016 – 7th

• 2017 – 5th

• 2018 – 4th

• 2019 – T-3rd

• 2020 – 4th

• 2021 – 2nd

• 2022 – 2nd

• 2023 – 3rd

• 2024 – 1st (Mattia Parrini (Verolengo, Italy/Verolengo), individual champion)

• 2025 – 3rd

2025 PSAC CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL STANDINGS

1. West Chester (+27)

2. Pitt-Johnstown (+31)

3. Gannon (+36)

4. IUP (+38)

5. Shepherd (+45)

6. California (Pa.) (+45)

7. Bloomsburg (+72)

8. Millersville (+74)

9. Clarion (+94)