Men's Golf | 4/23/2026 10:00:00 AM

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – St. John Fisher sophomore Colin Patterson has been named the 2025-26 Empire 8 Men's Golf Player of the Year after leading the Cardinals to their 21st conference championship and fifth in a row earlier this week, the league office announced on Thursday morning. He is the 13th player in program history to earn the honor. 

Awards and All-E8 teams were based on results from the conference championship, which the Cardinals won by 19 strokes after shooting 105-over-par 1,241 over the four rounds. The first two rounds of the tournament were played in October at the Teugega Country Club in Rome, New York, and the third and fourth rounds took place on Sunday and Monday at the Lebanon Valley Country Club in Lebanon, Pa. 

Patterson stood in second place after the first two rounds of the championship before taking control of the leaderboard with a four-over-par 76 third round that included three birdies on Sunday. He did just enough to stay ahead of teammate Nick Years and third-place finisher Raine Rumble of SUNY Canton in the fourth round on Monday while shooting 10-over 82. Patterson shot 21-over-par 305 over the four-round tournament. 

Patterson also earned first-team All-Empire 8 honors along with fellow sophomores Years and Jack Doran. Years, the 2024-25 E8 Rookie of the Year, placed second in the championship at +23 (307 strokes), while Doran finished fifth at +28 (312 strokes). 

Freshman Gavin Ruggio was selected as St. John Fisher's representative on the conference's Tomorrow's Leaders Team. The Tomorrow's Leaders Team recognizes a student-athlete from each E8 team who has demonstrated leadership in competition, in the classroom and in the community. 

The Cardinals will compete in the NCAA DIII Men's Golf Championship in Howey-In-The-Hills, Florida, at the Mission Resort and Club. The tournament runs May 12-15.