UTICA, NY - Utica University's men's and women's golf teams are one week away from opening their 2026-27 season! Both squads are set to travel to the Oliver D. Appleton Golf Course next Saturday and Sunday, September 5th and 6th, to compete in the St. Lawrence Invitational. The event will present an interesting new challenge for the Pioneers, as the last time either squad played the course was during the fall of 2022, at that year's St. Lawrence Invitational.

Where They Left Off: Utica's men's and women's golf teams each put together competitive stretches throughout the 2025-26 season. The men opened the fall with a runner-up finish at the SUNY Poly Invitational before winning the Keuka College Fall Invitational by one stroke. The Pioneers later tied for second at the Nazareth Fall Invitational and ultimately placed fourth in the Empire 8 Championship after combining the fall and spring portions of the four-round event. Utica closed the season by tying for fourth at the Oswego State Spring Invitational, where the squad cut its team score from +34 on day one to +17 on day two.

The women also started quickly, placing second at both the SUNY Poly and Keuka fall invitationals. The Pioneers remained competitive through the remainder of the fall before opening the spring with a third-place finish at the Keuka College Spring Invitational. Utica later competed at the Martin/Wallace Invitational before concluding the season with a fifth-place finish at the Northeast Women's Golf Conference Championship.

The Fairways of This Fall: Utica's men's and women's golf teams will open the 2026-27 season together at the St. Lawrence Invitational on September 5th and 6th before returning home for the two-day Utica University Invitational at Yahnundasis Golf Club on September 20th and 21st. The men will then travel to the Oswego State Invitational on September 26th and 27th, while both squads reunite for the SUNY Poly Invitational at Teugega Country Club on September 28th.

The women will continue their fall slate at the Nazareth Invitational on October 4th and 5th before both teams close the scheduled fall portion of the season at Lake Shore Yacht & Country Club in Cicero, NY. The men will compete in the Empire 8 Fall Championship on October 11th and 12th, while the women take part in the Empire 8 Fall Invitational over the same two days.

Building on Big Seasons: The men's team will look to a pair of proven returners in sophomore Koltin Pickell (Ellenville, NY/Ellenvlle) and senior Aydin Parekh (Nobleton, Ontario/Blyth Academy). Pickell impressed throughout his freshman campaign, earning Third Team All-Empire 8 honors after tying for 15th at the conference championship. He also recorded several strong individual finishes, including third at the SUNY Poly Invitational, eighth at the Nazareth Fall Invitational, and fourth at the Oswego State Spring Invitational to close the season. Parekh returns after a season highlighted by an individual title at SUNY Poly, where he shot +3, before recording the first under-par competitive round of his Utica career with a -2 at the Nazareth Fall Invitational. The senior, also a member of Utica's men's hockey team, was named the Empire 8's Man of the Year for his blend of excellence across both his academic and athletic endeavors.

On the women's side, sophomore Claire Draper (Watertown, NY/Watertown) returns after immediately establishing herself atop the Utica lineup as a freshman. Draper opened her collegiate career with third- and second-place finishes at the SUNY Poly and Keuka fall invitationals, respectively, and continued to lead the Pioneers throughout the spring. She added another third-place showing at the Keuka Spring Invitational and tied for 11th at the NWGC Championship, while earning three NWGC Rookie of the Week recognitions across her debut season.

Back in the Fold: Beyond its top returning scorers, the men's team brings back a deep group with Louie Roman (Oswego, NY/Oswego), Daniel Maloney (Syracuse, NY/Living Word Academy), Drake Morse (Grand Rapids, MI/East Grand Rapids), Aiden Dibble (Richfield Springs, NY/Richfield Springs Central), and Jacob Martyniuk (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) all returning for 2026-27. Roman was a consistent presence in the lineup throughout last season, including a tie for 15th at the Oswego State Spring Invitational, while Maloney saw action across both halves of the schedule and competed in the spring portion of the Empire 8 Championship. Morse, Dibble, and Martyniuk also gained valuable experience during the spring, giving Utica seven total returners on the men's roster.

The women return seniors Jordan Dorrity (Constableville, NY/South Lewis Central) and Sianna Kenyon (Ilion, NY/Central Valley Academy) alongside Draper. Dorrity was a regular member of Utica's scoring lineup throughout 2025-26, competing in each of the team's fall events and throughout the spring before finishing 24th at the NWGC Championship. Kenyon joined the competitive lineup during the spring portion of the season, making her debut at the Keuka College Spring Invitational.

Fresh(men) on the Fairways: The men welcome six freshmen to the program in Carter Brown (Star Lake, NY/Colton-Pierrepont), Owen Casler (Auburn, NY/Auburn), Charlie Losani (Auburn, NY/Auburn), Landon Ploss (Herkimer, NY/Herkimer), Mathew Simmons (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook), and Blake Turner (). Brown brings six years of varsity golf experience and earned Second Team All-Northern honors in both golf and soccer as a senior, while Casler was a four-year golfer and two-time team MVP. Losani competed in golf throughout all four years of high school, while Ploss enters Utica as a two-time CSC Golf All-Star and decorated multi-sport student-athlete with numerous athletic and academic honors. Simmons brings an accomplished golf background after winning the 2025 Red Hook Golf Club Championship, tying for fifth at the Section IX Championship to qualify for the NYSPHSAA Boys Golf State Championship, and placing 11th at the 2026 Dutchess County Amateur.

On the women's side, freshmen Olivia Peckham (Shaftsbury, VT/Mt. Anthony Union), Savannah Ward (Livingston Manor, NY/Rockland), and Megan Wright (Cold Brook, NY/Oriskany) join the Pioneers. Peckham competed in golf throughout all four years of high school and earned a varsity letter, while also collecting a pair of podium finishes in SkillsUSA CSI competition. Ward brings multiple seasons of varsity golf experience, helping her team to an OCIAA Division Championship while earning Coaches, Sportsmanship, and Scholar Athlete honors during her high school career. Wright joins the program after a four-year high school athletic career competing in both softball and basketball.

Up Next: After the St. Lawrence event, both the men and women are set to take a two-week break before returning to action. On September 20th and 21st, the Pioneers will host the Utica University Invitational at Yahnundasis Golf Club. Further details about the event will be released as the event approaches!