Kenyon finishes third at NCAC Championship

5/3/2026 6:32:00 PM

WARREN, Ohio -- In a closely-contested tournament, the Kenyon College Owls counted 904 strokes over the three-round 2026 North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Men's Golf Championship and finished in third place at the Avalon Golf & Country Club.

John Carroll University, a newcomer to the NCAC, won the championship with 898 strokes, six better than Kenyon, while Wittenberg University fired a 902 and took second place, just two shots ahead of the Owls.

Kenyon did not get off to the start it wanted, posting a score of 309 on Friday. In Saturday's second round, the Owls fared much better, scoring a 298 while closing ground on John Carroll. Sunday, the Kenyon men kept charging and even moved to the top of the standings late in the day. The team, however, couldn't maintain pace, despite putting up a 297.

Junior Jonathan Oakes tried to carry the load Sunday for Kenyon. He shot a bogey-free round and posted a four-under 68 with four birdies. That moved him all the way up to third place on the individual leaderboard with a final three-round total of 221. Only John Carroll's Wade Boyle (219) and Justy VonLehmden (220) finished ahead of Oakes.

Oakes' finish among the top-five individuals netted him a spot on the NCAC's All-Tournament Team.

Sophomore Connor Gray and junior Jaiden Koonar tied for eighth place, both turning in three-round scores of 227. Adrian Jordan, another sophomore, rounded out the Kenyon scorers with a three-round total of 230, which put him in 15th place in the field of 40 golfers.

The Owls, who went into the conference championship ranked as the No. 10 team in NCAA Division III, will have to wait until tomorrow to see whether or not they earn a bid into the NCAA DIvision III Championship, which will be held May 12-15 at Mission Resort & Club in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida.

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