This year, the men’s and women’s golf team garnered several top five finishes in tournament play, including two freshman players to rank in the top 10 for the first time in program history.

For Frank Lorio, head coach, it was important to continue to make strides in the right direction.

“We have worked extremely hard on course management and positive attitudes. It’s a long process, but both the men’s and the women’s teams have made strides in how they develop a game plan and attack a golf course,” Lorio said.

The team closed out the season on Oct. 27 with fourth place overall. The team also gained some milestones in the process with the men’s team finishing with a score of 307 and the women’s team recording a 324 in the final tournament.

Even with the success, Lorio said that the team had to overcome some challenges that they had faced last season.

“On the women’s side, we were very close to accomplishing a lot of good things last season. We just never really got over the hump and struggled in the final tournaments. For the men, the momentum that was created late last season was carried over into this year, and both sides have bought into it,” Lorio said.

The two catalysts for this year’s success are first year golfers Daria Delfino, business freshman, and Jose Perez, management freshman. Both have made history of their own this season with Delfino becoming a first-ever medalist for the Pack and Perez recording the lowest score in men’s team history (71).

“To medal in not only my freshman year, but also my first tournament, sets my expectations of myself pretty high. I know what I am capable of and I hope to maintain that during the spring,” Delfino said.

For Perez, it was all about having an impact on the team.

“I’ve been practicing a lot since I came here. I set a lot of short term objectives and long term objectives. One of them was trying to contribute in a positive way to the team,” Perez said.

Both members finished in the top 10 nationally, placing seventh and ninth respectively.

Austin Schillaci, business management junior, is returning to the Pack this season after missing the previous year due to injury.

“It’s good to get back into it. I started for two years in college and then had to sit out. It was kind of tough, but this year is great. It’s great being able to compete with the new kids because the freshmen and the returning kids are great, too,” Schillaci said.

Schillaci is optimistic about this year’s team. He also said that one of the things that he will be focusing on for the upcoming spring season is dealing with the pressure he has put on himself to perform at a high level.

“I feel like I need to perform better as I get older, but I just need to relax and be able to play my game and focus and do what I’m capable of and we”ll be in good shape,” Schillaci said.

The men’s and women’s golf team will return to the green in the spring semester.