Graham earns All-American honors, Thunderwolves place sixth at nationals
SUNY Niagara finished its season with a sixth-place outing among 12 teams at the NJCAA Div. III men’s national championship. The four-day event lasted from Tuesday through Friday at the Chautauqua Golf Club in Chautauqua. (FULL SCOREBOARD LINK)
The Thunderwolves, who were looking for a fourth top-four finish at nationals in five years, finished with rounds of 314-319-307-322 as a quintet for a four-day score of 1,262 strokes.
Sandhills clinched a sixth consecutive national championship with a score of 4-over par 1,156. Sandhills’ Sebastian Haug won the individual championship with a score of 4-under 284.
Finn Graham and SUNY Niagara head coach Matt Oleski (SUNY Niagara Athletics)
In his final Thunderwolf appearance, sophomore Finn Graham finished tied for 10th at 12-over 300. After shooting 4-over and 5-over through the first two rounds, Graham shot for par in round three and went 3-over in the final round.
With the tied- for-10th finish, Graham received NJCAA All-American honors, becoming the ninth different Thunderwolf to qualify since 2017 (FULL LIST IS BELOW). Graham entered with five wins this season (six in career) and shot a 2-over-par 148 to become the program’s sixth all-time Region III champion since 1979 and the fourth under head coach Matt Oleski.
An all-Region III first team selection, Graham also led the region with a 75.3 scoring average and improved his score from nationals last season after tying for 25th (316 strokes).
Sophomore and Lockport resident Anthony Gagliardi finished tied for 28th at 26-over 314. Gagliardi was tied for fourth in the field after he shot an opening-round score of 2-over 74, but fell to tied for 25th with teammate Ryan Conrad after the second round. Gagliardi then shot a 78 and 79 over the final two rounds.
Gagliardi entered nationals after a third-place finish at 8-over 154 and placed ninth in the region with a 79.5 scoring average. This was the highest-ever postseason finish for the Region III first-team selection after he placed seventh at regionals last year.
Conrad finished nationals in 33rd place at 31-over 319, while Bode Daumen (50-over 328) and Channing Brainard (52-over 340) finished 55th and tied for 56th, respectively.
Before nationals, SUNY Niagara went 6-3 in Region III and won a third consecutive regional title on May 11. This was the program’s fifth regional title in six years since 2019 and the seventh overall since 1968.
SUNY Niagara/ Niagara County Community College Golf NJCAA All-Americans (since 2017):
Men's Golf (9 different honorees):
2017 - Shane Helbig
2021 - Sam Hyman
2022 - Leo Camilloni, Sean Barrett, Zac Golibersuch
2023 - Sean Barrett, Leo Camilloni
2024 - Adam Firkins
2025 - Eliel Rodriguez, Ryan Kates
2026 - Finn Graham
Women's Golf (2 different honorees):
2022 - McCarthy Lang, Kennedy Lang
2023 - McCarthy Lang