EMCC Lions conclude men’s golf season with 11th-place showing at MACCC Championship in Brookhaven

BROOKHAVEN – The Lions of East Mississippi Community College concluded their 2025-26 men's golf season with an 11^th-place team finish at this week's 2026 MACCC Championship held at The Club at Ole Brook. The two-day tournament concluded Tuesday in Brookhaven.

Head coach Mark Furnari's EMCC Lions completed this season's competition by carding rounds of 307 and 306 for a two-day team total of 613.

"Overall, I am very proud and pleased with how the team played throughout this season. I do believe we did not show our true talent, but I know our guys gave it their all," Furnari said.

Watkins Dumas and Lawson Burton tied for 38^th place individually with identical scores of 154 to lead East Mississippi. Dumas, a Starkville native, closed out tournament play by firing a 1-over-par 71 for a 12-shot improvement from Monday's opening round. His final round consisted of 11 pars, three birdies and four bogeys. Burton's 71 came during the first day with 13 pars, two birdies and three bogeys that put the Itawamba Agricultural High School product in a tie for 16^th place following Monday's action.

EMCC's Bryce Shivers (Prentiss, MS/Prentiss Christian School) shaved seven strokes off his opening-round score to finish with a 74 on Tuesday and give him a total of 155 for the tourney.

Whitt Welch (Union, MS/Leake Academy) tied for 45^th place with a two-day score of 157 (79-78), while fellow EMCC sophomore Pelayo Castillo, of Spain, rounded out the Lions' scorecard by tying for 50^th place at 159 (76-83).

No. 4 Mississippi Gulf Coast (278-274—552) claimed the 2026 MACCC Championship for the fourth straight season with a 13-shot victory over runner-up Jones College (280-285—565). The win marked the Bulldogs' 17^th conference title and 12^th since 2008. MGCCC's Logan Jensen (69-67—136) edged teammate Paul Hoefer (70-67—137) by one shot to earn individual medalist honors.

"With this being my first year as a head coach, there is no doubt in my mind that I will always remember this season and this team," Furnari continued about his initial Lions squad. "The players showed up every day wanting to compete, which is all you can ask for as a coach."

With EMCC's current men's golf roster featuring five sophomores and one freshman (Ace Rock), the Lions have signed Preston Carnathan (Central Holmes Christian School), John Parker (South Jones HS) and Nathan Shoffner (Caledonia HS) for the upcoming 2026-27 season.