PLEASANTON, Calif. - The spring segment of the 2024-25 season for the Cal State East Bay men's golf team started this week. Throughout Thursday and Friday at Callippe Preserve Golf Course, the Pioneers were outstanding and won the team championship at the NNU Invitational. It was the second straight year in which the Pioneers won a tournament at Callippe Preserve Golf Course. In addition to the team win, Easton Hether finished atop the leaderboard as the medalist. 

• Hether had the lowest score in the three round tournament among 49 golfers in the field. He finished at 2-under-par 214 (72-70-72) with 11 birdies among the 54 holes played throughout two days. The second round score of 70 was the lowest in the round among all golfers in the tournament. It was the third time in his Pioneer career in which Hether has finished atop (or tied atop) the leaderboard.  
• Also contributing tremendously to the Pioneers' team win was Adam Brangefalt, who finished tied for seventh at 4-over-par. 
• Cooper Groshart tied 15th on the leaderboard at 7-over-par. He led the entire player field in birdies with 14. 
• Aaron Lee and Peyton Hendricks had one eagle each in the tournament. 
• Hendricks also finished tied for seventh on the leaderboard, competing as an individual with a score of 4-over-par. 
• Ryan Calcagno and Oscar Blomqvist, both entered in the tournament as individuals, were tied for 13th on the leaderboard at 6-over-par. Blomqvist carded a -3 (69) in round one. 

For the Pioneers, it was the fourth time the team has placed first in tournament scoring during the 2024-25 season. 

Cal State East Bay golf coach Chris Oetinger expressed his excitement following the team win and individual medal for Easton Hether: 
"A win is a nice way to kick off the spring season. Big congrats to Easton for finishing as the medalist!"

Oetinger added: 
"With that said, we learned a lot about ourselves during this event. We know we need to clean up the silly mistakes - which some could be attributed to 'tournament rust' but we only get that excuse for one tournament. The guys will only get a day to go work on their games as it is a quick turnaround for the [Tim Tierney] Pioneer Shootout. I know they are motivated to play better for the home event."

And the home event for the Pioneers takes place next Monday and Tuesday from Corica Park in Alameda, California. East Bay hosts the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout with a Monday tee time of 8 a.m. The Pioneers finished second in the team scoring last season in their home tournament.