BOCA RATON, Fla. - Experience, competition and consistency will be at the center of the Lynn University men's golf team's pursuit of another postseason run as the Fighting Knights open the 2026-27 season under head coach Steve LeBrun.
 
Lynn enters the new campaign with six returners and four newcomers after a 2025-26 season that featured a tournament victory at the National Preview, a runner-up finish at the Sunshine State Conference Championship and an appearance in the NCAA Division II South/Southeast Regional. The Fighting Knights finished last season ranked No. 35 nationally and seventh in the region.
 
For LeBrun, one of the most encouraging aspects of this year's roster is the experience throughout the lineup, particularly among a group of players who have developed within the program.
 
"The thing that excites me the most is the experience, because now we have four guys that are juniors that started here," LeBrun said. "They've gotten to play quite a bit, a lot of tournaments. So, I'm excited to see the experience from them."

Douglas Basadur, Matthew DePinto, Theo Desroches, Joe Houghton, Sebastiano Mascia and Cole Ropicky make up Lynn's returning group.

DePinto, Desroches and Mascia all saw action at last spring's NCAA South/Southeast Regional, giving Lynn a group that understands the level required to compete in one of Division II's toughest regions. Mascia closed the regional with his best round of the tournament, while DePinto provided a counting score and Desroches stepped into the lineup during the championship.

LeBrun believes experiencing postseason golf, and leaving the regional wanting more, could prove valuable this season.

"I expect all of those guys to be, I don't want to say different players, but (have a) different mindset of what it takes to go out and win tournaments, get back to regionals, get to nationals, all those things," LeBrun said.

That returning core will also be tasked with helping Lynn replace two major pieces from last season in Simon Roessler and Andres Asin. Roessler led the Fighting Knights at the NCAA Regional with a fifth-place-under-par total, while Asin also finished the championship under par.

LeBrun acknowledged there is no simple way to replace what the duo provided.

"You can't replace Simon just with his constant, good, solid play, and his experience," LeBrun said. "And then Andres, not only with his play, but the person he was, the team leader he was, how he could get anybody to gravitate to him and have fun with him, and get everybody just excited about every round."

Lynn welcomes four newcomers in Charlie Pantalone, James McNair, Will Somers and Tristan Wieland, a group that has immediately increased competition throughout the roster.

Pantalone arrives from Upper Canada College in Toronto, Ontario, while Somers joins the Fighting Knights following a standout career at Winter Park High School. Pantalone helped Upper Canada College capture the 2023 CISAA Championship and was an OFSAA finalist in 2024, while Somers won Metro Conference and District individual championships as a senior.

LeBrun has been encouraged by the early returns from both freshmen.

"These guys have come in to qualify just fired up, ready to play golf," LeBrun said. "They're shooting good scores. They are excited to be here. They're bringing some energy to the team."

McNair joins Lynn as a junior transfer from Stetson following a decorated junior career in Canada, while Wieland, a Jupiter, Florida native, arrives after spending last year at Michigan.

Both transfers quickly emerged near the top of Lynn's early qualifying standings.

The depth has created a battle for five lineup spots that LeBrun expects to continue throughout the season.

"All 10 of these players could be in the starting five of every single event that we play in, and I would be very confident," LeBrun said. "There's gonna be some interchanging of guys playing in events. Maybe a course suits a guy better. Maybe he's playing better at this time."

That competition has already produced results, with every player on the roster posting at least one under-par round during qualifying.

Lynn showed flashes of its ceiling throughout 2025-26. The Fighting Knights captured the National Preview at 28-under par and later finished second at the SSC Championship.
Now, LeBrun wants those performances to become the standard rather than the exception.

"When I see them out there playing, I see greatness, and it's just a matter of, will the greatness from each one of them come through all at once?" LeBrun said. "If we can figure out a way to have that greatness come out together more often, we're gonna have chances to win every single week we go into it."

Consistency is particularly important in an SSC and South Region filled with nationally competitive programs. For LeBrun, that does not necessarily mean chasing spectacular rounds every time out. Instead, the focus is on fundamentals, course management and finding ways to remain near the top of the leaderboard even when everything is not clicking.

"If you can be consistent, that's what's gonna set you apart," LeBrun said. "Consistency doesn't come from going for gusto on every single shot. Sometimes you have to play to the center of the green."

The Fighting Knights open the fall Sept. 14-15 at The Griffin Invitational at Mission Inn Resort before competing at the Jay Jennison Cup on Sept. 21-22.

Lynn then receives an early look at its ultimate destination when it travels to PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens for the NCAA National Championship Preview on Sept. 28-29. The same course is scheduled to host the NCAA Division II National Championship in May.

Playing a national championship course in Lynn's backyard could provide a significant advantage should the Fighting Knights earn their way back in the spring.

"We know the grass, we play on it all the time. We know the weather, we know all these little things," LeBrun said. "Most of the guys know the golf course. To get there would be a big advantage for us."
Lynn concludes the fall Oct. 12-13 at the Copperhead Championship at Innisbrook Resort.

The spring opens with the Matlock Invitational on Feb. 8-9 before the Fighting Knights return to Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club for the Saint Leo Invitational on Feb. 15-16. Lake Jovita will later serve as the site of the NCAA Regional Championship in May, giving Lynn another opportunity to see a postseason venue during the regular season.

The Fighting Knights then make their lone home appearance March 1-2 with the inaugural Lynn Invitational at Osprey Point Golf Course.

"It's gonna be great for the school, for our team," LeBrun said. "Obviously, to play your home course is gonna be beneficial. We hope that we can go in there and tear it up. It's somewhere we play a lot."

Lynn closes its regular season with the Southeastern Collegiate, Shark Invitational and Battle at the Lakes before the SSC Championship begins April 18.

The NCAA South/Southeast Regional is scheduled for May 6-8 at Lake Jovita, with the NCAA National Championship following May 17-21 at PGA National.

Before looking that far ahead, however, LeBrun wants the fall to provide opportunities for his returning players to settle back into team competition, for the newcomers to adjust to collegiate tournament golf and, most importantly, for the Fighting Knights to put themselves in contention.

"The more times you put yourself there, the easier it gets to win," LeBrun said. "You can't replicate that unless you're in that position. So hopefully we get ourselves in position a couple of times and we see what happens."

For Lynn, the pieces are in place. LeBrun believes the next step will come from trusting those pieces collectively.

"It doesn't have to be all on just one guy," LeBrun said. "The teams that win, they have four guys, five guys that are interchanging or they're all shooting a couple under."

With a deep roster, increased competition and a returning group carrying postseason experience, the Fighting Knights enter 2026-27 looking to turn that collective trust into consistency and consistency into another run through May.