April 18, 2008

SAN DIEGO - San Diego State men's golf head coach Ryan Donovan announced the signing Friday of two junior golf standouts to National Letters of Intent. Alex Kang (Oak Park, Calif.) and Andrew Cooley (Surrey, England) will begin classes on Montezuma Mesa next September and will be eligible to compete as freshmen for the Aztecs next season. Kang and Cooley join fall recruit Evan Emerick (Oceanside, Calif.) to round out SDSU's 2008-09 signing class.

"We are extremely thrilled to land two individuals of Alex and Andrew's caliber," Donovan said. "Not only are they talented players, but they both possess a solid work ethic and tremendous passion for the game, which should enable them to become outstanding collegiate golfers."

A senior at Oak Park High School, Kang completed a banner year in 2007, culminating with his selection to the Rolex Junior All-America second team by the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA). Last summer, Kang captured the TEE UP Junior Challenge at Industry Hills Golf Club where he carded a winning total of 10-under-par 203 on rounds of 68-66-69. He also notched a pair of runner-up finishes at the Mission Hills Desert Junior (-8, 208) in Rancho Mirage, Calif., and the TomatoBank Northern California Classic (-11, 205) in Pleasanton, Calif.

Kang, who is currently ranked 15th in the latest Golfweek/Titleist junior performance index, has already tasted success in 2008 after winning the championship flight at the Ventura County Golf Association's Spring Open in Ojai, Calif., on April 8. He also logged a fifth-place finish earlier this year at the Houston Boys Invitational, Feb. 15-18, in Humble, Texas.

Cooley, meanwhile, brings a wealth of international experience with him to The Mesa, having won the 2007 Italian International Amateur crown by defeating English elite player Ed Richardson, 5&4, in match play. He also posted a runner-up finish (E, 213) last October in the Daily Telegraph Junior Championship at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club in the United Arab Emirates. Closer to his home, Cooley placed fourth in the highly competitive Hampshire Salver tournament and was also named to the English Golf Union's Under-21 squad for 2008.

San Diego State closes out its regular-season schedule this weekend when it heads north for the U.S. Intercollegiate, April 19-20, in Stanford, Calif.