Essen placed second at the Stevens Institute Invitational, firing a 73 (+2) to secure a runner-up individual finish. Essen was steady throughout, opening with an even-par 36 on the front nine before carding a 37 on the back. He followed up that performance with a first-place finish at the Tri-Match with King's College and Wilkes University, where Essen posted a round of 70 (-1) to pace the Royals to a first-place finish.