Men's Golf | 2/14/2017 5:04:00 PM

Braves Crowned Champions at Jackson State Intercollegiate

PEARL, Miss. - After tying the University of West Alabama with a first-round 297, the Alcorn State University men's golf squad improved by four strokes in the final round to be crowned champions of the Jackson State Intercollegiate Tuesday at Patrick Farms Golf Club.

This is the Braves third consecutive tournament title as the team also won the Alcorn State Invitational and Gulf Shores Intercollegiate in the fall. 

Junior Daniel Racioppa shot a final-round 70, the lowest score of the day, and birdied 18 to force a playoff hole with UWA's Chance Caylor. Caylor would prevail as the individual medalist, but Racioppa's lowest round of the 2016-17 campaign lifted Alcorn to the team title. 

Racioppa shot a tournament-best 4-under on Par 5s and also tallied 25 pars, which tied Caylor and teammate Boo O'Pry for the most. 

Racioppa was followed by newcomer Luther Thompson who kicked off his Braves debut by leading the field with eight birdies and a 2-over among Par 4s. Thompson finished fourth overall on a 4-over 148. 

Freshman Spencer Rhodes finished second behind Racioppa on Par 5s (-3) and tied Caylor and Racioppa for third with six birdies. Junior Jon Allen also carded a season-low round with a 2-over 74, the fifth-best score of the day. Junior Daniel Stamper rounded out the team with a 153. 

Men's Overall Results
T1. Daniel Racioppa (74-70–144)
4. Luther Thompson (75-73–148)
5. Spencer Rhodes (74-76–150)
7. Daniel Stamper (74-79–153)
8. Jon Allen (80-74–154)

Men's Team Results
1. Alcorn (297-293–590)
2. UWA (297-298–595)
3. LeMoyne-Owen (388-357–745)
4. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (415-399–814)
5. Alabama A&M (439-441–880)

Fronted by Savannah Payne's 1-over 145, UWA swept the top five on the women's side. Lady Braves junior Quinn Meyer's 172 was good enough for a two-way tie for seventh with Jackson State's Keelin Floyd. Freshman Erin Kopinak shot Alcorn's lowest score of the final round, an 87, to place ninth. 

Women's Overall Results
T7. Quinn Meyer (84-88—172)
9. Erin Kopinak (87-87—174)
12. Abrea Grant (94-92—186)
14. Sam Schroer (114-107—221)

Women's Team Results
1. UWA (302-300—602)
2. JSU (363-338—701)
3. Alcorn (379-374—753)

The men return to action next week at the Mobile Bay Intercollegiate hosted by the University of South Alabama. The women's next competition is in two weeks at Texas Southern University.

#FearTheBrave