SAINT HELENA ISLAND, S.C. – College of Charleston set a new conference record en route to winning the 2021 Colonial Athletic Association Men's Golf Championship title on Tuesday at Dataw Island Club.
 
Under the direction of Head Coach Mitch Krywulycz, the Cougars earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship shooting a 30-under par 834 – the lowest 54-hole team total in conference history. They won the conference title with a 23-stroke victory over runner-up Drexel (-7).
 
It marked the program's fifth CAA Championship title and postseason berth since joining the league in 2013.
 
"I'm extremely proud of the entire program," Krywulycz said. "This year was like no other and I'm grateful we were given the chance to compete. Our men played positively the entire event and it's a testament that all of them shot in the 60s throughout the week. Now, we look forward to preparing for some exciting NCAA Regional play."
 
Leading the way was freshman Zach Reuland (Rock Hill, S.C.), who was the individual champion, shooting 13-under for the tournament with rounds of 68, 68 and 67. He started off the day with an eagle on the par-4 1st and ended his championship run with a birdie putt on the 18th.
 
Reuland became the first freshman since Josh Lorenzetti (2013 Southern Conference individual champion) to win medalist honors and fifth all-time CAA individual champion next to John Jonas (2015), William Rainey (2016), Parker Derby (2017) and teammate Michael Sass (2018).
 
Graduate senior Logan Sowell (Kershaw, S.C.) tied Angelo Giantsopoulos of Drexel as the individual runner-up shooting a final-round 68 and 8-under par (71, 69 and 68) for the tournament. Graduate senior Christian Baliker (Greenville, S.C.) finished fourth overall at 4-under par with rounds of 64, 75 and 73.
 
Reuland was named Most Outstanding Player and was joined on the CAA All-Tournament Team by Sowell and Baliker.
 
CofC will learn its postseason fate as teams and individuals participating in the 2021 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship will be announced as part of GOLF Channel's College Central coverage on Wednesday, May 5 at 2:00 p.m. (ET).
 
Regional play for the 2021 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship will be held on May 17-19, with play taking place at The Sagamore Club in Noblesville, Ind., hosted by Ball State; Seminole Legacy Golf Club in Tallahassee, Fla., hosted by Florida State; Championship Course at UNM in Albuquerque, N.M., hosted by New Mexico; Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Okla., hosted by Oklahoma State; Golf Club of Tennessee in Kingston Springs, Tenn., hosted by Vanderbilt; and Tumble Creek Golf & Country Club in Cle Elum, Wash., hosted by Washington.
 
Three of the six regional sites will have 13 teams and 10 individuals competing, while three will have 14 teams and five individuals. The Top 5 teams (30 teams total) and the low individual not on an advancing team from each regional site (six individuals total) will advance to the national championship to be held on May 28-June 2 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.
 
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON FINAL RESULTS
1. Zach Reuland – 68-68-67—203 (-13)
T2. Logan Sowell – 71-69-68—208 (-8)
4. Christian Baliker – 64-75-73—212 (-4)
T7. Michael Sass – 73-69-73—215 (-1)
16. Hunter Dunagan – 73-78-69—220 (+4)