Somerset, NJ -- After winning the 2014 Northeast Conference Individual Title in a playoff, Sacred Heart redshirt junior Pete Ballo (Stamford, CT/Trinity Catholic (St. John's)) was named the NEC Men's Golfer of the Year, while Bryant's Ryan Tombs (Bedford, NH/Bedford) was tabbed NEC Men's Golf Rookie of the Year.
 
Ballo defeated Tombs in a playoff at LPGA International earlier in May. Ballo shot a six-under 66 in the final round, to win individual medalist honors. Ballo entered the day tied for 11th at three-over par. Tombs, who carded a 67 on Saturday, was +2 on Sunday as both he and Ballo finished the 36-hole tournament with identical scores of three-under 141. After both golfers made par on the first playoff hole, Ballo birdied the second hole to win the title. Ballo averaged a league low score of 73.6 per round. The Connecticut native ended his junior season with three consecutive individual titles, including the New England Championship April 13.
 
Tombs, who also earns All-NEC First Team honors, posted the highest finish for the Bulldogs and all freshman at this year’s championship, recording scores of 67-74. Tombs first medalist honors of his young career came at the NEC Championship. This marks the second consecutive season a Bulldog has been tabbed as the NEC Rookie of the Year.
 
Fairleigh Dickinson's Rob Warren was picked as the NEC Men's Golf Coach of the Year by his peers. In his sixth season, Warren led the Knights who were picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll, to a second place finish at the NEC Championship. Fairleigh Dickinson finished eight strokes behind the Bulldogs to hoist the runner-up trophy.
 
Bryant’s Joe Walp (Portland, ME/Deering) and Kyle Bushmann (East Haddam, CT/Xavier) join Tombs on the All-NEC First Team. Walp played in nine tournaments and finished in the top-10 in all but two. The sophomore averaged 74.3 per round this season. Walp tied for first at the Lonne Barton Invitational, a NEC Championship preview at the LPGA International course, hosted by LIU Brooklyn in March.
 
Bushmann, the 2013 NEC Rookie of the Year, tied for 11^th at the NEC Championship shooting a 73 and 78 in the 36-hole tournament. Buschmann averaged 75.9 per round in 2014, and placed seventh at the Connecticut Cup in the fall.
 
Rounding out the five-member All-NEC First Team is Robert Morris junior Santiago Mejia (Bogota, Columbia/Blessed Hope). Mejia led the Colonials with a 73.6 per round average. The Columbia native finished in the top-five at five events, including a season best finish at the Lonnie Barton Invitational where Mejia placed second.
 
Central Connecticut veterans Monte Mullen (Farmington, CT/Farmington) and Matt DeJohn (Geneva, NY/Monroe C.C) are All-NEC Second Team honorees. Mullen led the Blue Devils at the NEC Championship, carding a 78 and 68 (146) for a fourth place finish. The junior played a 74.2 average per round, and claimed the NEIGA Individual Title in the fall. DeJohn was named All-NEC Second Team after taking home medalist honors in a shootout versus Bryant in a final tune-up before the NEC Championship. DeJohn averaged a 75.1 per round score this season.

Robert Morris placed sophomore Garrett Browning (Imperial, PA/West Allegheny) on the All-NEC Second Team. Browning won three events in the 2013-14 season, including the Leo Keenan Invitational and RMU Colonial Classic in the fall. Browning finished tied for 14^th at the NEC Championship and averaged 74.9 this season.
 
David Gaylord (Tweed, Ontario, Canada/St. Theresa Catholic) was the lone Fairleigh Dickinson All-NEC selection. The sophomore improved at each tournament, ending his season with a season best third place at the NEC Championship scoring a first round 73 and a second round 71.
 
Rounding out the All-NEC Second Team was LIU Brooklyn’s Stewart Gray (Auckland, New Zealand/Rangitoto College). The sophomore won the 2014 Seahawk Invitational with scores of 77 and 78. Gray carded a 73 and 74 (147) at the NEC Championship for a fifth place finish.