WEST REDDING, Conn. – Eastern Connecticut State University led all teams with a combined total of 40-over par on the second day of the 2025 Little East Conference Men's Golf Championships to move from third place to finish second in a field of six teams Friday at The Redding Country Club.
 
For the second straight year, junior Ethan McDaniel (Orange) came from behind to claim medalist honors, and with it, LEC Player-of-the-Year laurels. Eastern has claimed medalist honors in all five LEC Championships, with McDaniel following Ashton Lewis (2021-23). McDaniel was also named Rookie-of-the-Year in 2024 as the top rookie finisher.
 
McDaniel trailed co-leaders Jasper Bruins Slot of Rhode Island College and Keenan Buteau of the University of Southern Maine by four strokes after the first round, but ran away from the field in the second round – his 3-over 74 five strokes better than his nearest competitor.
 
McDaniel improved his second round by eight strokes to win by six strokes over Bruins Slot. He finished the 36-hole tournament at 14-over 85 with a score of 156. Bruins Slot finished 20-over 91 and 162.
 
Southern Maine (671) edged Eastern (678) to defend its team title, while the Warriors bettered third-place Keene State College by 18 strokes.
 
McDaniel repeated as a first-team All-LEC performer, with junior Ryan O'Donnell (Southington) surging from a tie for 16^th place to finish tied for eighth and gain second-team All-LEC recognition. The top five finishers are accorded first-team All-LEC honors, the second five second-team honors.
 
After shooting 20-over 91 on the first day, O'Donnell shot 8-over 79 amidst improved weather conditions Friday to catch Cam Reid of VTSU Castleton and Alex Grant of Southern Maine for eighth place.
 
Eastern senior Jake Napolitan (Agawam, MA) finished 16^th in the 30-team field, with senior Nick DiNino (Glastonbury)18^th and sophomore Drew Johnson (Gloucester, MA) 20^th. Napolitan finished with a 32-over 174, DiNino 36-over 178 and Johnson 42-over 184.
 
Eastern closes out the fall season next weekend at the 90^th NEIGA Championships at The Captains Golf Course in Brewster, MA.