UMass-Amherst Disc Golf Star Wins National Championship in First Flight

The University of Massachusetts-Amherst has produced its fair share of talented athletes, but none as unexpected as Joey Antosca, who has burst onto the disc golf scene and emerged victorious in the National Collegiate Disc Golf Championships' Individual First Flight title. Just two years into playing the sport, Antosca's impressive skills have earned him a 950 player rating, which has sparked some good-natured jealousy among his peers.

Antosca, a 21-year-old operations and information management major, took home the top prize with a 15-under par 105 total after two rounds at the Hippodrome Disc Golf Complex. His standout performance was marked by a thrilling afternoon 9-under par 51 at the 20-hole Hogback course, which catapulted him to victory by a single shot over Iowa State University's Matt Polson.

The win is all the more impressive considering that Antosca played in the First Flight, rather than the Championship Flight. The latter division is typically reserved for top-seeded teams, but UMass-Amherst finished sixth at the Liberty Flamethrower Championships in November and failed to qualify for the higher tier. As a result, Antosca had mixed emotions about his accomplishment, both thrilled with his individual victory and curious to see how his team fared.

As a former baseball and volleyball player, Antosca brought an unexpected skillset to disc golf: his experience as a shortstop and pitcher helped him adapt to the "forehand-friendly" Hogback course. While he struggled with putts inside the circle, Antosca's consistent tee shots kept him bogey-free throughout the day.

One of the unique aspects of the NCDGC is that team scores are determined by adding singles performances to doubles totals. As a result, Antosca's individual victory has helped his team stay in contention, but it remains to be seen whether they will emerge as champions. With three rounds remaining in the Championship Flight and two for Women's Flight players, Thursday promises to bring plenty of action as singles competitors battle for Individual National Champions.

For Antosca, who spent the winter snowed-in in Massachusetts, the South Carolina sunshine has brought a welcome respite from the cold. As he prepares to play doubles and enjoy the rest of the week, he seems poised to make more headlines at the NCDGC.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/umass-amhersts-antosca-wins-ncdgc-first-flight