Sports preview autumn 2024: Men’s golf

In its first year as a member of the Northeast Conference, the Binghamton golf team, led by head coach Bernie Herceg, exceeded all expectations, finishing fifth out of 11 teams at the NEC Men's Golf Championship in Pine Mountain, Ga. With the vast majority of the team returning, BU will look to steadily improve.

Although the Bearcats retain most of their roster, they lose their captain, fifth-grader Evan Sitts, to his graduation. Sitts finished his career with a fifth-place finish at the NEC Championships, also earning a spot on the All-Tournament team.

Of particular note is the return of junior Branden Connor to the Bearcats, who has provided consistency at BU over the past two years. With a relatively experienced roster, Binghamton's seniors include seniors Shawn Colella, Ryan Millevoi and Tynan Jones, and juniors Harrison Blech and Sean Shen, the Bearcats will rely on their leadership to be successful during their fall campaign.

Also returning is sophomore Jackson Vesper, who gained a lot of experience for BU in 2023-24, playing in six tournaments for the Bearcats over the course of the year. Vesper will look to take the next step to help Binghamton remain competitive in the 2024-25 season.

BU will open the season with the Alex Lagowitz Invitational on Saturday, August 31. Tee times will be set at a date to be determined at Seven Oaks Golf Course in Hamilton, New York.