Graziani signs with William Carey

PERKINSTON — The long line of Mississippi Gulf Coast golfers who have gone on to continue their collegiate playing careers at William Carey University is tacking on another member.

Alessio Graziani will be joining fellow Bulldogs Hayden Green and Matt Wilkinson in Hattiesburg. The sophomore from Johannesburg, South Africa, signed a letter of intent to play for the NAIA power.

"It's a competitive school. I know they're one or two players away from competing for a national championship, and I feel like William Carey gives me a better opportunity to do that," he said. "There are several others guys from here who have gone there and have recommended it. It'll be nice to see some familiar faces."

Graziani's name is sprinkled throughout the Gulf Coast golf record book. He has the lowest 18-hole score in history when he shot 9-under 63 at the Derrall Foreman Invitational as a freshman. He's tied for the record with eight birdies in his freshman year, and he's ninth in career finish percentage and par or better rounds.

"He's done an outstanding job here both as a golfer and as a person," Gulf Coast coach Brad Thornton said. "He's handled his business in the classroom, he's handled his business on the golf course, and it's great to see him getting this opportunity to continue his education and golf career at William Carey."

Graziani will close out his Gulf Coast career next month at the NJCAA Division II Men's Golf Championship. It will be played May 23-26 in Plymouth, Ind.

The Bulldogs finished second at last year's national championship in Joplin, Mo., and he'll be taking lessons learned there to Indiana and then on Hattiesburg when his Gulf Coast career is in the books.

"It helped with everything," Graziani said. "I may not have played the best golf I wanted to this last year, but I've kept it a lot more consistent. I really enjoyed playing with thee teammates. I'm going to miss them. It's helped a lot from academics to playing golf to getting to play in these really good tournaments. It's been awesome."

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