GOLDSBORO, N.C. - - The Wilmington University golf team competed in The Trojan Open this week, climbing the standings with a 293 (+5) second round before settling for a ninth-place finish on Tuesday at the Walnut Creek Country Club, hosted by Mount Olive.  

The Wildcats posted rounds of 303 (+15), 293 (+5), and 317 (+29) for a 913 (+49). Nationally ranked No. 46 Lenoir-Rhyne won the tournament with an 863 (-1). The tournament was a play six, count four format.

Sophomore Noah Wallace was the most consistent for the Wildcats, ending with a tied for 20^th finish with a 226 (+10). He had rounds of 76 (+4), 74 (+2), and 76 (+4). He finished the tournament with eight birdies, three coming in his 74 (+2) second round. His third birdie of the day brought him back to one over par with two holes to play. He birdied two of the three par fives on Tuesday in the third round.

James DeRocini had the best round of the tournament for the Wildcats, shooting a 72 (E) in the second round. He finished in a tie for 32^nd overall with rounds of 77 (+5), 72 (E), and 79 (+7) for his 228 (+12). He also had eight birdies in the tournament, with five of them coming in the second round. Starting on the sixth hole, he went bogey, birdie, double, birdie to be one-over after four. Back-to-back birdies got him to one under but then needed his fifth birdie on the final hole, the par five fifth to get to even.

Josh Freeman had the best first round for the Wildcats, starting the tournament with a 73 (+1). He was in the Top 15 after the first two rounds, finishing in a tie for 35^th with rounds of 73 (+1), 74 (+2), 82 (+10) for a 229 (+13). Freeman posted 11 birdies in the three rounds, adding an eagle in the second round as well. He worked back to even par before a double bogey on the final hole of the first had saw him finish with a 73 (+2). His eagle came on the final hole of the second round and added three birdies in the final round.

Sebastian Ramos finished in a tie for 54^th overall this week, posting rounds of 82 (+10), 73 (+1) and 80 (+8) for a 235 (+19). In his second round, Ramos started with a birdie and then had birdies on the 14^th and 16^th holes to get to one-under. But a double bogey on the par three third saw him finished with a 73 (+1). He finished with six birdies in the tournament.

Will Finnerty tied for 60^th overall , shooting rounds of 77 (+5), 82 (+10), and 82 (+10) for a three round score of 241 (+25). Ryan Heenan closed out the Wildcats on the course with a 69^th place finish, shooting a 250 (+34). He posted rounds of 82 (+10), 82 (+10), and 86 (+14). Heenan had the only other eagle for the Wildcats, hitting it on the par five 17^th in the second round.

Barton's Winston Knobloch won the tournament, finishing with a 208 (-8) with rounds of 68 (-4), 66 (-6), and a 74 (+2).

After Easter weekend, the Wildcats return to the course to take part in the Dr. Edwin B. Cottrell Invitational hosted by West Chester University. The two-day tournament will begin on Monday, April 6, at the Penn Oaks Country Club.