SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Bethune-Cookman men’s golf team captured the 2014 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Men’s Golf Championship on Sunday afternoon.

The Wildcats won by 15 strokes during the 54-hole tournament at the Crosswinds Golf Club, while Wildcats’ Ryan Fricker won Outstanding Performer with a 6-under par 210.

“The first two days we played pretty well,” Bethune-Cookman head coach Loritz “Scooter” Clark said. “Our goal when we came out today was to be about six or seven under and at one point we were. We’ve got a few things to clean up before we get to regionals.”

The Wildcats shot a 3-under par 861 to claim its first-ever MEAC men’s golf championship. Savannah State finished second with a 12-over par 876, while Florida A&M was third with a 24-over par 888. North Carolina Central (912), Hampton (962) and Maryland Eastern Shore (1,009) rounded out the six-team field.

Fricker began the day tied with brother Leon at 6 under. Ryan triple bogeyed the opening hole, but rallied with four straight pars before ending the front nine with four consecutive birdies to move to 7 under.

“I hit a bad drive off the first (tee) and I tried not to let it bother me too much,” Fricker said. “I ended up with a triple bogey and I wanted to start over on the second tee. I played really well from that point on. I made four birdies coming into the turn and got a bit lucky on the back nine. I lost focus a bit on the 10^th hole and hit a shot into the water on 11 for a double bogey, but apart from that, I was pretty focused.”

On the back nine, Fricker registered two birdies, five pars, one bogey and one double bogey.

L. Fricker, brother to Ryan, finished second after shooting a 2-under 214. Leon registered three birdies, 10 pars, four bogeys and one triple bogey. Savannah State’s Travis Roe placed third with a 1-under 215, while teammate Brandon Neals was fourth with a 1-over 217. Mike Ververka of Maryland Eastern Shore and Matthew McKnight finished tied for fifth at 3-over 219.

With the win, Bethune-Cookman receives the automatic qualification to the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship. The NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Selection Show will air Monday, May 5 at 10 a.m. on the Golf Channel.

For more information about MEAC Men's Golf, visit www.MEACsports.com

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