The Fordham golf team finished seventh out of 13 teams in the Abarta Coca-Cola Collegiate Invitational hosted by Lafayette. They once again defeated their only A-10 competition headed into the Championships at the end of the month. The Rams have surpassed low expectations for the season and stayed out of the basement of every tournament they played this year. The Atlantic 10 tournament will pose the toughest test for the team this season, but with the leadership of John Kryscio, the Rams have high hopes.

Sophomore Kryscio, posted a career-low 142 (-2) for the two day event at the Steel Club in Hellertown, Pennsylvania. He posted one of seven under-par efforts for the event and placed in a tie for fourth. Tomas Nieves was the only other Ram to place in the top 30 with a 151 (+7). As a team, Fordham came in seventh place with a cumulative score of 598 (+22). They were just one stroke behind Towson in sixth. Lehigh won the event with a score of 574 (-2), running away with the event early after an impressive first round on Sunday. Rider came in second with a total score of +6. 

As for Atlantic 10 competition, Fordham beat the same two teams they did last week at Villanova. They placed three shots above La Salle University and 19 shots over Saint Joseph’s University. However, the Explorers are a much deeper team than the Rams, as all of its players shot between 150 (+6) and 155 (+11). Despite that, the Explorers do not have a player of  Kryscio’s caliber — Kryscio should be one of the top players at the Atlantic 10 Championship. They did fall to St. Bonaventure, who placed fourth with a score of 590 (+14). 

The Rams will not win the A-10s to say the least; Richmond, Dayton and Virginia Commonwealth have fantastic teams that will compete for the crown, but they are far surpassing their preseason poll ranking. They were ranked in a tie for last with La Salle before the season began, a ranking they earned through poor play for the last two seasons. They have improved dramatically this season, outplayed that ranking and look to prove that the final weekend of the month in Orlando.

Regardless of the results in Orlando, this Rams season has been a total success. Kryscio and the continued solid play of P.J. O’Rourke and Tomas Nieves have led the team to heights not many outside the team thought possible. Every player on the team besides Nieves will return, and the team will look to build on this nice season with a summer of training before the fall slate begins. For many players on the team, this is the first experience they will have in playoff competition. After having the back half of last year’s season and the front half of the 2020-21 season canceled, the Rams have responded nicely. 

I personally see the Rams placing between seventh and 10th in Orlando. They will beat St. Joe’s and have proven to be better than La Salle. I am giving them a little bit of room to move upwards as well because of the ability of so many of their players. Kryscio, Nieves, O’Rourke and more can go low in the warm Florida conditions.