BARRE, Vt. – The Norwich University men's golf team finished runner-up at the 2026 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championships, carding a two-day team score of +58 at the Country Club of Barre, while senior Cooper Bertrand (Caledon, Ont.) successfully defended his individual championship to claim his second consecutive GNAC Individual Title and GNAC Golfer of the Year honors.
The Cadets entered Tuesday's final round sitting at +30 after Monday's opening round before responding with a two-stroke improvement, shooting +28 on the second day to finish at +58 overall. Norwich's runner-up performance capped a strong championship showing on its home course, with five Cadets finishing inside the top 16 of the individual leaderboard.
Bertrand once again led the way for Norwich, finishing atop the individual leaderboard at +9 to repeat as GNAC champion, with a par ont he final hole to seal the deal. The senior's performance marked his second consecutive conference individual title and continued a standout 2026 campaign that saw him consistently compete near the top of the leaderboard throughout the fall in every tournament he competed in.
The individual championship also earned Bertrand GNAC Golfer of the Year honors, adding another major conference accolade to his decorated career. Bertrand entered the championship as the defending individual champion after establishing himself as one of the conference's premier golfers throughout his career.
Freshman Jake Kavanagh (Kirkland, Quebec) delivered another impressive performance in his first collegiate season, finishing tied for third overall at +13. Kavanagh's performance earned him GNAC Rookie of the Year honors, recognizing his immediate impact at the conference level and his consistency throughout his first season with the Cadets.
Kavanagh's third-place finish gave Norwich two golfers inside the individual top three and highlighted the strength of the Cadets' lineup behind Bertrand. Both Bertrand and Kavanagh finished on the First Team All Conference Team.
Freshman Jamie Crispi (Norwood, Mass.) continued his strong rookie campaign by finishing sixth overall at +16. Crispi's performance earned him Second Team All-GNAC recognition, giving Norwich another conference honoree following the championship.
Junior Braden Camire (Saco, Maine) finished tied for 11th at +20, providing another important contribution to the Cadets' team score. Camire remained within the top half of the individual leaderboard throughout the championship and helped Norwich maintain its position near the top of the team standings.
Senior Harrison Giambattista (Danielson, Conn.) rounded out the Norwich scoring lineup, finishing tied for 16th overall at +24. Giambattista's championship performance added another veteran presence to a Norwich lineup that featured a mix of experienced upperclassmen and emerging first-year talent.
The Cadets' second-place finish continues a strong fall season that saw Norwich establish itself as one of the GNAC's top teams. Norwich entered the championship ranked second in the GNAC Pre-Championship Poll after recording multiple top-four finishes during the regular season, including runner-up finishes at the Tony Mariano Invitational and strong performances at the Battle of Boston and Vermont State University Castleton Invitational.
The championship also provided a strong finish to a season in which Norwich demonstrated significant depth throughout its lineup. With Bertrand leading the way at the top, Kavanagh making an immediate impact as a freshman, Crispi earning All-Conference recognition, and Camire and Giambattista contributing inside the top 16, the Cadets placed five golfers among the championship's top 16 finishers.
Bertrand's second consecutive individual championship headlines the Cadets' performance, while his selection as GNAC Golfer of the Year and Kavanagh's Rookie of the Year honor underscore the individual success Norwich experienced throughout the championship.
Norwich finishes the GNAC Championship as the conference runner-up with a team score of +58, closing out the 2026 fall campaign with another strong showing on its home course.
