Colonials topple six-time defending champion Charlotte in A-10
It took 53 years and torrential rains, but the George Washington golf team has finally won another conference championship. Led by junior Andres Pumariega (72-67 – 139), the Colonials toppled six-time defending champion Charlotte to win the rain-shortened Atlantic 10 championships at Heron Bay Golf Club in Coral Springs, Fla.
Playing in his home state, Miami-native Pumariega finished one stroke behind Raoul Menard of Charlotte. The tournament was scheduled for three rounds, but Sunday’s final 18 holes were cancelled and sixth-seeded GW took team honors by two strokes.
It was the first league championship for GW since capturing three straight Southern Conference titles 1957-59. The Colonials advance to the NCAA regionals for the first time since 2006.
Coach Terry Shaffer was named conference coach of the year and Pumariega was named first team.
“I cannot explain how happy I am for my team,” Shaffer, a 1979 GW grad, said told the school web site. “These guys worked so hard and they deserve this title. This is a huge step in the right direction for both GW golf and the Colonials athletics department.”
Also contributing for GW were senior Martin Liu (69-74 – 143), senior Brandon Rukin (71-73 – 144), freshman Jack Persons (72-72 – 144), and senior Taylor Fuqua (76-72 – 148). True to the school’s cosmopolitan student body, the foursome are respectively from Hong Kong; Orange, Ohio; San Francisco; and LaPlata, Md.
