BOULDER CREEK, Nev. – Senior All-America Ashton Lewis (Fairfield) shares 62nd place in a field of 221 golfers with a 1-over-par 73 after the first day of the 2024 NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championship Tuesday at the par-72 Boulder Creek Golf Club.

Of the six New England teams at the championship, Eastern is fourth, standing 36^th overall among 43 teams with an 18-hole total of  308 strokes.

Playing No. 4, sophomore Nick DiNino (Glastonbury) and junior Matthew Orefice (Niantic), playing No. 3,  share 147^th place after the first round at 5-over 77, with sophomore Jake Napolitan (Agawam, MA) tied for 188^th at 9-over 81, and junior co-captain Chris Davidson (New Milford) is 212^th at 12-over 84. Napolitan is playing NO. 5, Davidson No. 2.

Lewis, Orefice and Davidson competed a year ago in the Warriors' first trip to the nationals. Junior Cal Angelo (Southington) missed most of the fall with injury and did not compete in this year's nationals after compiling a two-round total of 166 last year.

A three-time Little East Conference Player-of-the-Year and last fall's New England Intercollegiate Golf Association (NEIGA) champion, Lewis finished 47^th a year ago as New England's highest finisher with a 10-over 72-hold total of 298 at Keene Trace Golf Club in Nicholasville, KY.

Thirteen-time national champion Methodist University leads after one round with a 17-under total of 271, one stroke ahead of Emory University and four ahead of the University of Redlands. Jackson Klutznick of Emory leads the field with an 8-under 64 after the first round, while Jack King of Husson leads New England players at 1-under 71.
Lewis was scheduled to tee off on the tenth tee at 12:15 p.m. ET Wednesday.

The tournament consists of 72 holds over four days. After the second day, the field is cut to 18 teams and the first six players not from a qualifying teams, who will compete over the final two rounds Thursday and Friday.