WARREN, Ohio (pacathletics.org) - Allegheny College, fueled by the medalist and two others in the top five, scored the two lowest rounds in the 2024 Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Men's Golf Fall Championships and will enter the spring championship rounds with an 18-stroke lead.

The 36-hole fall event was hosted by the Avalon Golf & Country Club in Warren, Ohio. The men played two rounds at Avalon Lakes in Warren.

This year's PAC Championships features a 72-hole stroke play event, beginning with 36 holes played this fall and another 36 holes played Friday-Saturday, April 25-26, 2025 at Mill Creek Metroparks and the Mill Creek Golf Course in Boardman, Ohio. The women will play two rounds on the North Course, while the men will play a pair of rounds on the South Course.

Allegheny, the defending PAC champions, is halfway to a repeat championship after recording stellar rounds Monday and Tuesday. The Gators rallied on the final day of the 2024 Spring Championships to win the title by shooting 293 and made it three consecutive PAC rounds at 295 or less this week by carding 295 Monday and 294 Tuesday. As a team, the Gators shot 34 birdies during the 36 fall holes.

Washington & Jefferson College, last year's runner-up, is in second place this season as well after the Presidents scored 607 (304-303). Sliding up two slots following Monday's opening round was Westminster College, who is in third (623, 315-308). Sitting fourth on the team leaderboard is Saint Vincent College (625, 314-311), followed by Geneva College (634, 307-327); Grove City College (639, 320-319); Waynesburg University (643, 329-314); Bethany College (657, 325-332) and Thiel College (684, 332-352).

A familiar face is atop the individual leaderboard. Allegheny senior Carter Hassenplug (North East, Pa./North East), the two-time defending PAC Player of the Year, has now claimed three consecutive Fall Medalist awards. After firing a five-under, 67 to open play Monday, Hassenplug posted a 73 Tuesday. His total of 140 gives the Gator senior a six-shot lead to carry into the spring and is the lowest score at a PAC Fall Championship since 2008 when W&J's John Williams totaled 139 (71-68).

Sitting in second place behind Hassenplug is Saint Vincent sophomore Matt Edwards (Bedford, Pa./Bedford), who went 71-75 to finish at 146. Rounding out the top five are a pair of Allegheny players sandwiched around a W&J player. In third place is Allegheny senior Zach Melzar (Sterling, Mass./Wachusett Regional), whose 72 Tuesday, after an opening round 76, tied three others for the low round of the day. W&J junior Alexander Robins (Buckinghamshire, England/Bedford School), who also had a 72 Tuesday, is in fourth place with 149 (77-72) and Allegheny senior Nadir Khan (Karachi, Pakistan/Karachi Grammar School) is fifth after scoring 150 (77-73). 

Another highlight in the men's round came Monday. W&J senior Luke Melisko (Sewickley, Pa. Quaker Valley) aced the 153-yard, par-three No. 4 on his way to a 69 in the opening round. Melisko currently is in a four-way tie for sixth place overall at 151. 

The All-PAC teams, along with the PAC Players of the Year and PAC Newcomers of the Year, are determined by the combined 72-hole scores from the fall and spring championships. The All-PAC teams are made up of the top 15 overall scorers (5 first team, 5 second team, 5 honorable mention).

The combined 72-hole team totals determine PAC team champions and winners of the league's automatic-qualifying bids to the NCAA Division III Championships.

Team selections for the Division III Men's Championships will be announced Monday, May 12. The Division III Men's Championships are scheduled for May 20-23 at Midvale Country Club in Penfield, N.Y.