Slade and Brown enjoy tremendous seasons on the course for the Bulldogs

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Bryant University golf junior McKinley Slade (Saunderstown, R.I.) and freshman Ryan Brown (Bedford, N.H.) experienced excellent 2015-16 campaigns and helped guide their team to an outstanding year.

The Bulldogs finished fifth or better in nine of the 10 events they competed in. The team finished second twice in the fall season and claimed an overall win at the NEIGA Division I Championship with a two-round score of 608 (+32).

The Bulldogs won the Rhode Island Invitational in the spring season with a three-round score of 872 (+8), and were outlasted in a playoff by Wagner College in the Northeast Conference Championship in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The two were key contributors to the team's success throughout the year, competing in a combined 16 events. Slade led the team with seven top-10 finishes and three second-place finishes. He earned NEC Golfer of the Month honors three times this season, and is currently up for NEC Men's Golfer of the Year following a team-best average score of 72.8 in 25 rounds of play. He would become the first golfer since Jason Thresher in 2009-10 to garner the distinction.

Brown was one of the best rookies in the conference, competing in six events. He compiled an average score of 77.4 which was good for sixth on team. He finished tied for 27th at the Lonnie Barton Invitational, and tied for 35th at the Rhode Island Invitational, and is currently up for NEC Rookie of the Year. Brown would be just the second Bulldog to win the award, as junior and fellow Granite Stater Ryan Tombs (Bedford, N.H.) took home the honor in 2013-14.