PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Apr. 2) –The Nichols College golf team opened the spring season Saturday at the Rhode Island College Spring Invitational played at Triggs Memorial Golf Course. Led by first year Brian Sears (North Grafton, Mass.), the Bison finished eighth in the 12-team tournament.

Senior Michael Hersey was the medalist with a score of 75 to lead the Husson University men's golf team to a first place finish. The Eagles totaled a team score of 324 (+36) to outdistance second place UMass Dartmouth (326, +38) and Rhode Island College (333, +45) for the win. Johnson & Wales (339, +51), Endicott (340, +52), Worcester State (342, +54), Babson (343 (+55), Nichols (344 (+56), Elms (358, + 70), Suffolk (367, +79), Anna Maria (369, +81) and Wentworth (372, +84) rounded out the field.

Sears finished tied for 11th place with an 82 (+10), while senior Josh Paulhus (Sutton, Mass.) was one stroke back in a tie for 16th. Senior Dan Cafasso (Prospect, Conn.) finished tied for 22nd with an 86, and Matt Quigley (Sturbridge, Mass.) was tied for 41st with a 93. Jon-Paul Chouinard (Natick, Mass.) finished 53rd, firing a 98.

Hersey shot a 36 on the front nine and 39 on the back nine to finish three over par for the day. He beat Worcester State senior Chris Brunelle (Worcester, MA) by one stroke (76). Endicott sophomore Jackson Wyman was third (77), followed by Husson junior Chris Hamel and RIC freshman Tim Leigh who both shot a 78.

Nichols returns to action April 9-10 at the Hampton Inn Spring Invitational hosted by UMass Dartmouth at the Allendale Country Club.

8 Nichols College 344
T 11 Brian Sears 43- 39 82
T 16 Joshua Paulhus 40- 43 83
T 22 Daniel Cafasso 40- 46 86
T 41 Matthew Quigley 45- 48 93
53 Jon-Paul Chouinard 43- 55 98