Greg Pieczynski was named the fourth golf coach in program history on January 31, 2020.
Under Pieczynski's leadership, the program has shown remarkable improvement during his tenure, improving in the national rankings, recording its best conference finish, and individuals etching their names into the Mason record books.
The Kingston, Pa. native, took over a program in February 2020 that was ranked #232. In the fall 2022 rankings, the Patriots climbed to a #164.
The 2023-24 team had a winning percentage (55%) and finished top-10 in all 11 tournaments including three top-3 finishes, including second place honors at the Golden Horseshoe Intercollegiate. The Patriots began the fall season in third place at the Red Bandana Invitational. In the spring, the Patriots finished fifth at the Redhawk Invitational on the famed Chambers Bay Golf Course in University Place, Washington.
The Patriots ranked #5 among A-10 teams in the final SCOREBOARD national rankings.
The team set numerous school records. Most notably, the 2023-24 squad set the program's Team Season record for Scoring Average vs Par = 5.25 and tied the team season record for most Par or Better rounds with six. The Patriots also set the all-time scoring record in average score (290.76).
The Patriots were led by senior
Nikita Gubenko with a 72.38 stroke average (1.00 vs par). The Great Falls, Va. native played in all 11 tournaments, leading the Patriots with eight Top 25 finishes, and tied with
Samir Davidov for low round, each recording a 67 at the Dayton Invitational.
Vijay Powell earned an Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week nod after he earned a second straight top 10 standing with a fourth-place finish, the best in his first collegiate year, at the Golden Horseshoe Intercollegiate. The Midlothian, Va., native helped the Patriots to its best finish of the season at the famed course in Williamsburg, Va.
The team started strong with three top-6 finishes during the 2022-23 season, including 3
rd place at St. John’s Doc Gimmler tournament at historic Bethpage State Park. Samir Davidov finished 2
nd individually blistering the Red Course with 12-under par, 198 total (69-64-65) which is 2
nd best 54-Hole score in Mason history. JP Miller so finished in the top-10 at 7-under par, 203 total also with all three rounds in the 60’s (66-69-68).
The team thrived with Piecyznski's instruction. Grad student Milan Matneja played his best collegiate golf down the stretch during the 2023 spring season with three top 40 finishes, while boasting a 73.8 stroke average in the final three tournaments. He had played in two tournaments in 2019-20 season before a breakout year. A native of Fairfax, Matneja lead the Patriots with an 11th place finish, his best finish at an Atlantic 10 Championship, a four-over-par 220 (72-73-75).
The team experienced one of its best seasons in program history in 2021-22. The Patriots finished third at the Atlantic 10 Championships, its best finish since joining the conference in 2013-14. The Patriots placed a trio of student-athletes in the championship top-10 and placed two on the All-Conference team for the first time in program history.
Will Halamandaris lead the Green and Gold with a 72.06 stroke average in 2021-22, ranking the best in Mason history for a season. He ranks at the top of rounds under par in a season with 18, eagles (6), and birdies with 123.
Under Pieczynski's guidance the Green and Gold have three of the top five stroke average to par records for a season. The Patriots 2021-22 team hold's the top spot in birdies for a season (469), while the 2022-23 team is second with 383, edging the 2016-17 team's record of 375.
Pieczynski came to Mason from Atlantic 10 rival George Washington where he was in his first season as an assistant coach for the Colonials golf program.
He served as the director of instruction at Manor Country Club in Rockville, Md. for the past three years. A member of the PGA of America and US Kids Golf Certified Instructor, Pieczynski had a stint as an Assistant PGA Professional at the Weston Golf Club in Weston, Mass. Throughout his career as an instructor, he’s run a variety of clinics, tournaments, and camps.
Pieczynski began his collegiate coaching career at Assumption College. In his two seasons as an assistant (2015-2017), the Greyhounds qualified for the 2016 NCAA Division II Regional Championship for the first time in five years.
He has an extensive playing history, having won 25 tournaments during a nine-year professional career.
A 2006 graduate of Penn State University, Pieczynski played golf collegiately for the Nittany Lions, where he was a captain, two-time Academic All-American and two-time NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region First Team selection. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance.
