NEW HARTFORD, NY - Utica University's men's and women's golf teams hosted the Casler Masonry Invitational at Yahnundasis Golf Club on Sunday and Monday, competing across two rounds on their home course. The Pioneers' men's "A" squad finished second in the six-team field with a two-day score of +59, while Utica's "B" team placed fifth at +97. The women finished second in their two-team field at +212. Aydin Parekh (Nobleton, ON/Blyth Academy) and Claire Draper (Watertown, NY/Watertown) led their respective squads individually, each tying for second overall.

Parekh paced the men on the 6,792-yard, par-71 layout, following an opening-round +2 with a +5 on Monday to finish +7 overall. He opened the tournament by playing the first eight holes at even par before reaching the turn at one-under. Louie Roman (Oswego, NY/Oswego), Jacob Martyniuk (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford), and Drake Morse (Grand Rapids, MI/East Grand Rapids) all finished tied for 14th at +19, with Roman shooting rounds of +4 and +15, Martyniuk +8 and +11, and Morse improving from +11 to +8. Koltin Pickell (Ellenville, NY/Ellenvlle) rounded out the "A" lineup in a tie for 21st at +23. The group posted rounds of 304 and 323, while all five golfers recorded par or better on the sixth and 11th holes during Sunday's opening round and again played the 15th hole at par or better as a group on Monday.

Utica's "B" team was led by Daniel Maloney (Syracuse, NY/Living Word Academy), who placed 10th after rounds of +5 and +10. Landon Ploss (Herkimer, NY/Herkimer) turned in matching +11 rounds to tie for 19th, while Owen Casler (Auburn, NY/Auburn) (+29), Carter Brown (Star Lake, NY/Colton-Pierrepont) (+31), and Charlie Losani (Auburn, NY/Auburn) (+40) completed the lineup. Brown and Losani each improved on day two, cutting three and eight strokes, respectively, from their opening rounds. Competing individually, Aiden Dibble (Richfield Springs, NY/Richfield Springs Central) tied for 25th at +25. The "B" squad finished with rounds of 331 and 334, while all five lineup golfers and Dibble played the sixth hole at par or better during the opening round.

On the women's side, Draper led Utica on the 5,702-yard, par-73 setup with matching +12 rounds to tie for second overall at +24. Freshman Megan Wright (Cold Brook, NY/Oriskany) made the largest day-to-day improvement among the Pioneer women, cutting nine strokes from +33 to +24 to finish eighth. Sianna Kenyon (Ilion, NY/Central Valley Academy) placed 10th with rounds of +30 and +31, while Jordan Dorrity (Constableville, NY/South Lewis Central) finished 11th at +70. Draper accounted for three birdies across the weekend, while Kenyon added another on the par-three 13th hole during the opening round. As a team, Utica improved from a 401 on Sunday to a 395 on Monday.

The men will return to action next weekend at the Oswego State Invitational on September 26th and 27th before both teams compete at the SUNY Poly Invitational at Teugega Country Club on September 28th.