RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico – A trio of freshmen posted top-5 individual finishes in leading the North Carolina Central University men's golf team to a share of first place at the Hornet Invitational hosted by Alabama State University at Grand Reserve Golf Club, a host venue on the PGA Tour, that was contested from Tuesday-Thursday, March 19-21.
 
Rookies Iszac Bertagnole, Jamal Hutchison and Isar Joshi were the Eagles to place third, fourth and fifth, respectively, in the individual standings out of 26 golfers.
 
Bertagnole, who was just announced as a Northeast Conference (NEC) Men's Golf Prime Performer for the past month of competition, was once again NCCU's low golfer with rounds of 74, 75 and 70 for a three-over par total of 219. Hutchison (77, 73, 70) was one stroke behind Bertagnole and Joshi (74-73-74) trailed by just one more stroke over the total 54 holes of play.
 
Sophomore Kyle Gregory (80, 73, 76) and senior Kendall Wallace (82-74-77) also provided counting scores to NCCU's team score that matched the total of the host Hornets. NC Central (305-293-290) beat Alabama State (307-289-292) by two strokes in the final round to rally into a share of the team title.
 
The Eagles picked up wins against Tennessee State University and Southern University.
 
Four other maroon and gray golfers also got to enjoy the trip to Puerto Rico and competition on the host course of the PGA Tour's Puerto Rico Open. Senior Trey Morse and sophomore Kobe Narcisse led the Eagle individuals while senior Alex Burnett and freshman Jalen Brown were both making their season debuts at the Hornet Invitational.
 
NC Central is next scheduled to play in the Stitch Intercollegiate hosted by North Carolina State University on Lonnie Poole Golf Course in Raleigh on Friday-Saturday, April 12-13. Before that team competition, Hutchison will compete as an individual at the 2024 Bridgestone Collegiate Invitational at Silverado Country Club in Napa, California, on March 25-26.
 
NCCU Individual Results (26 Golfers)
3. Iszac Bertagnole (74-75-70—219)
4. Jamal Hutchison (77-73-70—220)
5. Isar Joshi (74-73-74—221)
T-10. Kyle Gregory (80-73-76—229)
14. Kendall Wallace (82-74-77—233)
20. Trey Morse* (77-82-81—240)
21. Kobe Narcisse* (82-79-80—241)
23. Alex Burnett* (83-82-83—248)
24. Jalen Brown* (90-77-89—256)
*Played as an individual