Feb. 21, 2008

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University men's golf team opens its 2008 Spring season on Monday as they travel to Hilton Head, South Carolina, to compete in the Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate (Feb. 25-26).

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How The Falcons Fared in the Fall
BGSU went 58-16 this fall, recording a first place finish at the Purdue Midwest Shootout (16 team field) and a second place finish the following week at the John Piper Intercollegiate (15 team field). According to GolfWeekRankings.com, the Falcons finished the fall season as the second-best team in the Mid-American Conference with a rankings score of 72.41. Only Kent State had a better fall season (71.55). Other MAC teams included Eastern Michigan (72.44), Miami (73.32), Ball State (73.34) and Toledo (73.38).

Notes on the Individuals
The Falcons are led by senior Jace Walker, who averaged 71.15 strokes a round in the fall, tops in the MAC. He finished in a tie for first at the Purdue Midwest Invitational, carding a 71. The following two weeks he finished fourth at the John Piper Intercollegiate (70-70-72) and tied for third at the Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational (68-69-71).

Second on the team is sophomore Matt Schneider, who averaged 72.69 strokes per round this past fall, ranking sixth in the MAC. In five tournaments this season the Grand Rapids, Minnesota native has three top-12 finishes. He finished in a tie for third at the MAC/Big East Challenge, carding a 217 (69-73-75) for his top performance of the fall. He also finished 10th at the John Piper Intercollegiate (72-71-75) and 12th at the Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational (69-72-73).

John Powers, the Falcons top freshman from a year ago is having just as strong of a sophomore campaign. Through 13 rounds the Bowling Green, Ohio, native has averaged 74.23 strokes per round this fall, ranking 21st in the MAC. His top two performances this season include a 10th place finish at the MAC/Big East Challenge (74-74-73) and finishing 17th at the Purdue Midwest Invitational, carding a 75 in the weather shortened outing.

Trevor Spathelf, one of only three seniors on this year's squad played in six rounds this fall, averaging 76.00 strokes a round. The Bowling Green. Ohio native has competed in 77 rounds in his Falcon career.

Russel Goodwin participated in three tournaments in the fall, with his top performance coming at the John Piper Intercollegiate, where he finished 26th (76-74-75). Through the fall the senior averaged 77.70 strokes per round.

The final Falcon competing on Monday will be freshman Bryan Mitchell. In his only action this season the Medina, Ohio, native finished 20th at the John Piper Intercollegiate, carding a 223 (75-71-77).