The golf team traveled to Farmingdale, N.Y., last weekend to compete in The McLaughlin – a two-day, 54-hole tournament hosted by St. John’s University. Played at the 6,555-yard, par-70 Bethpage Red golf course, the tournament fielded 18 teams from universities across the nation.

Villanova’s top finisher was sophomore Colin List, whose rounds of 69, 74 and 72 led him to a five-over-par 16th-place finish. Freshman Brendan Kelly had the second best score for the team, with a total of 221 (+11) that landed him in 43rd place, while senior Doug Stadler and freshman Joe Bernard were close behind with scores of 223 (+13).

Villanova’s strong opening round of 293 earned it a fifth-place finish in the first round of competition. However, the subsequent round proved to be a tough one for the Wildcats, as their combined score of 306 led to a 17th-place finish in the second round. In the final day of competition, the Wildcats put out their strongest round of the season at 289, which put them in 14th place over the competition.

Villanova, which was competing in just its second tournament this season, is now under the leadership of Head Coach Will Reilly. Reilly has taken over the program from brothers Jake and Joe Moran, who saw much success with the team as head coaches since 1993. Reilly’s most recent accolades include coaching the Mount Saint Joseph women’s team to two consecutive PIAA state championships, as well as his 18-year tenure as head golf professional at Twining Valley Golf and Fitness Club.

Next, the Wildcats will look to get on a positive note when they head to Howey in the Hills, Fla., from Oct. 3-5 to compete in the three-day Mission Inn Classic. – A.G.