Skae named MVP; Soto most improved; Olivieri earns leadership award, named team captain
Colgate Golf for the third straight season set a team low aggregate scoring record to highlight the 2016-17 campaign under head coach Keith Tyburski.
The team presented awards this week during the annual year-end banquet held at Seven Oaks Golf Club. Ryan Skae was selected Most Valuable Player, Alejo Soto earned Most Improved Player and Armando Olivieri III took home the Leadership Award.
Olivieri also was named team captain for 2017-18, and the team honored senior Ian Lynch for his leadership and service to the program.
The Raiders posted a scoring average of 300.79 to just clip last year’s record score of 300.92. The 2015-16 squad retains the scoring average in relation to par at +15.85, or 0.25 ahead of this year’s +16.10.
This year’s team also set the program record for birdies with 278 and posted the two lowest aggregate single scoring rounds in history: 281 at St. John’s and 284 at the Patriot League Championship. The Raiders set the low 36-hole aggregate total of 571 at the Patriot League event, and the St. John’s tournament saw Colgate’s lowest 54-hole scoring total both in relation to par at 21 over and aggregate at 861.
Ryan Skae Accomplishments
- Season scoring average of 73.85 third-best in program history.
- Set, reset and tied the low single round (67), two-round (136) and three-round (207) totals.
- Highest number of par or better rounds in a season with nine.
- Became Colgate’s first Patriot League Golfer of the Month (September 2016).
- Tied season record with 71 birdies.
- Five rounds in the 60s for another program record.
Alejo Soto Accomplishments
- Fall scoring average 78.32; spring scoring average 75.35 (second best on the team)
- Three rounds of par or better
- Low round of the year was second-round 70 at Patriot League Championship, including back-nine 30.
- Shot the 12th-lowest 54-hole total in school history with 216 at Patriot League Championship.
Armando Olivieri III Accomplishments
- Led the team with lowest scoring average during spring semester.
- Season scoring average of +4.65 over par was 10th-best in program history.
- Already seventh in career rounds of par or better heading into senior season.
- Has shot at breaking the career rounds played record (needs 25 to tie).
- Counted toward team score in 27 of 29 rounds, or 93.1 percent.
- Enters senior year seventh on our career scoring average list.
- Elected by his teammates as the next captain of the team for 2016-17.
Olivieri’s Leadership Award was earned as the team member who displays an extra commitment to having extraordinary interest, attitude and dedication.
Ian Lynch Accomplishments
- Current Cumulative GPA 4.04 – 2017 Mitchell Award for highest Colgate senior student-athlete GPA.
- Clubs/Activities/Groups: SAAC, Intramural Basketball, Colgate Film Society, Living Writers and Adopt-A-Classroom.
- Academic Awards/Honors: Seven Semesters of Colgate Raider Academic Honor Roll and Dean’s List; Two-time Charles A. Dana Scholar; Film Studies Academic Excellence Department Award; Cornell Family, Jacques C. Nordeman, Robert T. Samuel Jr. ’60, and Palmer Davenport ’53 Endowed Scholarships; Phi Eta Sigma Academic Honor Society.
Athletic Accomplishments: Placed in the top-15 in seven events in career; Contributed to help break the season team scoring average record three times; Ranks in top 15 in career scoring average.
“Ian is a testament to the definition of a student-athlete,” Tyburski said. “He showed up every day, working hard and with a smile on his face. He will be remembered as a great teammate who was thoughtfully devoted to his craft in all areas, and we will certainly miss having him around.”
Also a part of this season, Ryan Allison graduated in December as the record-holder in numerous categories: career scoring average aggregate 74.39; career scoring average vs. par +3.13; career rounds of par or better 18; career counting percentage 98.8; career birdies 201; season scoring average aggregate 73.15; season rounds par or better 8; and season counting percentage 100.0.