SHAWNEE ON THE DELAWARE, PA - The Susquehanna University men's golf team has made incredible strides in the last few years. Equipped with a young roster averaging low-to-mid 70's, the River Hawks look to keep their surprising numbers up going into this weekend's Landmark Conference Previews at the Shawnee Inn & Country Club.
Head coach Ryan Redfern enters his third full season, welcoming several first-year players to an established River Hawks program. Susquehanna captured one tournament victory during the fall season, highlighted by
Jax Puskar's four-under-par 66, the lowest individual round by a River Hawk in 16 years. The men's team enters the Landmark Conference Preview ranked No. 123 nationally and No. 16 regionally, with a scoring average of 303.56 strokes per round.
The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort will once again host the Landmark Conference Preview and Championship, marking the fourth consecutive year the course has served as the site of the event. At last year's Landmark Conference Championship, the River Hawks finished eighth with a team score of 640 (+64). This season, Susquehanna looks to build on that performance and deliver a strong showing at the Conference Preview as the team prepares for the championship in the spring.
RIVER HAWKS ON THE COURSE:
Jax Puskar: Ranked No. 11 regionally and No. 140 nationally, Puskar leads the River Hawks with a scoring average of 73.60 and one tournament victory. He opened the fall season at Dickinson's Fall Invitational, shooting rounds of 78 and 73, before recording scores of 71 and 76 at The Gauntlet. Puskar then delivered a standout performance at Susquehanna's Fall Invitational, firing a four-under-par 66 to claim the individual title. He followed with a 72 at the Mason-Dixon Classic before closing out the fall season with rounds of 74 and 79 at the Spartan Fall Invitational.
Jonny Zadravec: Ranked No. 64 regionally and No. 701 nationally, Zadravec enters the Conference Preview with a scoring average of 76.93. He began the fall at Dickinson's Fall Invitational with rounds of 79 and 78, followed by scores of 79 and 72 at The Gauntlet. At Susquehanna's Fall Invitational, Zadravec carded a 70 to finish third individually. He then shot a 78 at the Mason-Dixon Classic before wrapping up the fall season with rounds of 75 and 76 at the Spartan Fall Invitational.
Marc Twombly: Twombly holds a scoring average of 78.47 and has been a consistent contributor to the River Hawks' lineup throughout the fall. He opened the season at Dickinson's Fall Invitational with rounds of 80 and 75 before carding a 76 at Susquehanna's Fall Invitational. Twombly followed with a 75 at the Mason-Dixon Classic and closed out the fall season with back-to-back rounds of 78 at the Spartan Fall Invitational.
Dylan Mattessich: Mattessich enters the Conference Preview with a scoring average of 81.46 after making his collegiate debut at Dickinson's Fall Invitational, where he recorded rounds of 82 and 74. He followed that performance with an 81 at Susquehanna's Fall Invitational before finishing the fall season with rounds of 78 and 79 at the Spartan Fall Invitational.
Rider Nicholl: Ranked No. 75 regionally and No. 809 nationally, Nicholl owns a scoring average of 76.10. He opened the fall season at Dickinson's Fall Invitational with rounds of 78 and 67, including a strong second-round performance. He followed with back-to-back rounds of 78 at The Gauntlet before shooting a 77 at Susquehanna's Fall Invitational. Nicholl then carded a 73 at the Mason-Dixon Classic and concluded the fall season with rounds of 75 and 80 at the Spartan Fall Invitational.
