ELLINGTON, Conn. – Eastern Connecticut State University has become the Little East Conference's first representative to the NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championships after successfully defending its title with a 16-stroke win over runner-up Castleton University on the second and final day of the 2022 LEC Golf Championship Friday at Ellington Ridge Country Club.
 
Eastern and junior Ashton Lewis (Fairfield) are the only champions that the LEC tournament has known. Both won the first LEC Invitational two years ago and last year's inaugural LEC Championship at Rutland (Vt.) Country Club before repeating again this year.
 
The addition of Keene State College this year gives the conference the minimum six institutions necessary to qualify for an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament for the first time. The championship is scheduled for May 16-19 at Keene Trace Golf Club in  Nicholasville, KY.
 
Friday, Eastern finished at +39 as a team, scoring a 615. Castleton was at +55 with a 631.
 
For the second straight championship, Lewis and junior Jonah Dupuis (Hampton) finished 1-2 over the 6,936-yard par-72 course. Lewis and Dupuis both shot 74 on the second day Friday. Lewis carded a 1-under 71 Thursday and finished the tournament 1-over 145. Dupuis shot 77 Thursday and finished at +7 with a 151.
 
On Thursday, Castleton put its fourth player in before Eastern's fourth and trailed by only six strokes. Friday, Eastern sophomores Chris Davidson (New Milford) and Cal Angelo (Southington) put Eastern's four scoring players ahead of Castleton's fourth. Behind Lewis and Dupuis, Brady Hathorn and Nick Ojala shared third place, with Davidson fifth (+11) and Angelo tied for 12^th (+20).
 
The top five finishers in the tournament are accorded All-LEC recognition.
 
Eastern competes in the 87^th NEIGA Championship this weekend at The Captains Golf Course in Brewster, MA. As a team, Eastern placed seventh among 16 teams last year. Lewis tied for 11^th among 78 finishers, with Angelo tied for 19^th, Dupuis tied for 38^th, Davidson tied for 49^th, and current senior Andrew Gromko (Canterbury) 62^nd.