DALTON, Ga.- The Ave Maria University men's golf team competed on the highest level of NAIA golf this week, playing for the first time at the NAIA Men's Golf Championships, which were held this year at the Dalton Country Club in Dalton, Georgia. The Gyrenes finished ahead of six teams in Dalton, placing 24th among the 30 teams in the Peach State in their first trip to nationals.

In their first ever national championships round, the Gyrenes carded a team score of 317 on Tuesday. Alex Veneziano was Ave Maria's top scorer in the opening round, shooting a three over par round of 75. Gabriel DeCasas was the other Gyrene in the 70s, as the senior fired a 78. Ave Maria's final two scorers in the first round both recorded scores of 82, with Matt Mullen and Ty Kaufman rounded out Ave Maria's team score.

Ave Maria improved their score by seven strokes on Wednesday, shooting a team score of 310 with three of four scorers improving their scores. DeCasas led the way for the Gyrenes, evening Veneziano's top score from the previous day with a 75. Veneziano himself posted a 77, with Mullen also below 70 with a score of 78. Kaufman rounded out Ave Maria's effort on the final day before the tournament was cut down, shooting an 80.

Veneziano was the top overall scorer for the Gyrenes, ending the tournament with a score of 152 over 36 holes. DeCasas was the second finisher at 153, with Mullen placing third at 160. Kaufman shot an 162 over the two rounds, while Derek Callahan finished off the tournament with an overall score of 167.

In their hometown, Dalton State won the team championship, beating Texas Wesleyan by one stroke across the 72 holes of the Championships. On the individual side, Texas Wesleyan's Juan Ricardo Davila Bone birdied the par-4 18th hole on the first sudden-death playoff hole to beat OUAZ's(Ariz.) Kolby Shackelford for the medalist honors. The pair tied in regulation with even-par 288's, as Shackelford shot a 67 on the final day to force a playoff.

The 2023-24 season was the best in school history for Ave Maria, as the Gyrenes finished among the nation's top 25 and made their first ever trip to the national championships. Under the direction of head coach Patrick Sams, the program showed a great amount of forward momentum, with four of the five golfers on the postseason roster entering 2024-25 with remaining eligibility.