Horizon League Men's and Women's Golf Teams Head to League Championships
Nov. 3, 2004
Women's Statistics (.pdf)
Men's Statistics (.pdf)
Championship Preview (.pdf)
Indianapolis, Ind. - The 2004 Horizon League Men's and Women's Golf Championships get underway on Monday, April 26 and conclude on Tuesday, April 27 at the Royal American Golf Course in Galena, Ohio. Tee time is set for 8:00 a.m. EST.
Although this season marks the 25th men's golf championship this will be only the second year the women will compete for the Horizon League title.
WOMEN'S PREVIEW
Youngstown State, the returning first-ever Horizon League Women's Golf Champion, seeks to grab its second consecutive title in 2004. Butler, Cleveland State and Loyola are among the competitors preparing to knock the Penguins off their throne this season.
Youngstown State currently has three players in the top ten of the Horizon League in scoring average. Gina Abruzzino, a two-time Player of the Week this season and 2003 All-League selection, sits atop the ratings with an average score of 80.24 through 17 rounds. Fellow Penguin Lori Hatcher, the medalist from the 2003 championships and All-League honoree, currently places fourth in the league with a 82.35 average in 17 rounds, while Jennie Fleiner sits in eighth (84.76, 17 rounds).
Butler, a third-place finisher last season, also places three players in the top ten in scoring average so far this year. Wendy Jo Kramer, who finished 10th in last year's championship, currently sits in second-place in scoring average with an 80.60 average in 20 rounds. Teammate Lynnsey Showers, a freshman, comes in at the next slot with a 22 round average of 80.91, while Abby Seger tops out in the league's ninth spot with a 85.64 average.
As with the previous two contenders, Loyola also places three players in the top ten of the Horizon League in scoring average. Nicole Puch leads the Ramblers and is fifth in the league with an 82.63 average in 19 rounds, while teammate Marissa Capriola is seventh with a 16 round average of 82.94. Freshman Sarah Van Vooran rounds out the league's 10th spot with an 85.95 average through 19 rounds.
Cleveland State returns 2003 All-League selection and last season's fifth-place finisher in Kristin Obush, who currently places seventh in the Horizon League with a 15 round average of 83.67.
MEN'S PREVIEW
Wright State seeks to become only the second team in Horizon League history to become a five-time winner of the men's golf title. The only other school to reach the feat is Oral Roberts, who won the championship six-times (1980-85) as a former member of the Midwestern Collegiate Conference.
The Raiders return 2003 sixth place finisher in Marty Miller, who currently places second in the league with a 27 round average of 75.81. His teammates, freshman Brandon Knutson sits in the fourth spot with a 75.93 average through 27 rounds, while Brandon Judy rounds out the top ten with an average of 76.96 (27 rounds).
Butler, a three-time runner-up at the championships, hopes to win its first-ever league title. The Bulldogs return 2003 Horizon League Championship medalist Jeff Chapman. Chapman is eighth in the league in scoring average with a 76.75 through 24 rounds. Butler also returns 2002 All-League selection senior Colin Christie along with senior Jonathan Novak. Christie currently leads the Horizon League with a scoring average of 75.21 through 24 rounds. Novak, a third-place finisher in last season's championship, sits in the third slot with a 24 round average of 75.92.
Detroit, a four-time league champion (2002, 01, 1999, 87), currently has two players in the top ten of the Horizon League in scoring average. The Titans are led by senior Jesse Maytham's 75.81 scoring average (21 rounds), which is good enough for second-place in the league along with teammate freshman Kyler Murphy who sits in the seventh spot with a 21 round average of 76.24.
Cleveland State is also led by a pair of the league's top ten scorers this season. Senior Billy Houle, the current Horizon League Player of the Week and the lone returning 2003 All-League honoree, sits in the fifth spot with a 76.07 average through 28 rounds, while teammate freshman Mike Rutgers follows in the sixth spot with a 76.13 average (31 rounds).
Youngstown State returns sophomore Nate Komsa, who after finishing last season's championship in 22nd-place, currently sits in the league's ninth slot with a scoring average of 76.91 through 22 rounds.
UW-Green Bay returns a top 15 finisher from 2003 in junior Jason Hill. Hill, who placed 15th last season, currently sits 11th in the league with a 24 round average of 77.08. Kevin Kasprzyk is one slot back in 12th with a 77.09 average through 11 rounds, while senior David Barse brings a 77.71 average in 24 rounds this season.
Loyola will be led by a freshman and a pair of returning top 15 finishers from a year ago. Freshman Frank Linquist currently leads the Ramblers with 78.53 round average, while teammate junior Dan Mattingly, who tied for seventh in 2003, has an 81.00 average through 19 rounds. Junior Keith Nelson (80.89, 19 rounds) also returns after finishing 14th in last season's championship.
