Feb. 23, 2007

MILWAUKEE - The Marquette golf team's quest for a BIG EAST title starts on Monday, February 26 as the team begins its spring season with the two-day, 54-hole Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate. The golf team will follow that up with the three-day, 54-hole Ron Smith/USF Invitational, which begins Friday, March 2.

The Golden Eagles had a successful fall season, placing third or better in two of five events, including a second place finish in the the last tournament of the fall, the BIG EAST/MAC Challenge.

In that final tournament, freshman Ben Sieg claimed Marquette's highest finish of the season, winning the individual title at the event. Sieg played in three events in the fall, averaging 72.89 strokes per 18 holes, the second best average of all Marquette golfers in the fall.

"Ben Sieg winning our last event of the fall clearly demonstrates his ability and that he can compete at the highest level of collegiate golf," head coach Tim Grogan said. "The challenge will be to bring that kind of commitment and intensity on a regular basis and understand that it is needed to successfully compete at this level."

Joining Sieg at the two tournaments is the fall's leading scorer, sophomore Mike Van Sickle. Van Sickle averaged 72.43 strokes per 18 holes and had a season high finish of fifth at the Hoya Invitational.

"Mike has been working hard at becoming a more complete player," Grogan said. "He is investing a great deal of time to his short game, and without a doubt is already becoming a more well balanced player."

Completing the Marquette roster for the two tournaments are junior Ted Gray, junior Michael Bielawski and sophomore Dustin Schwab.

S.C.-Aiken won the Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate two seasons ago. Marquette placed fifth in that tournament, finishing 16 strokes behind USC-Aiken. Gray was MU's best finisher last season, placing in a tie for 10th.

The Golden Eagles were sixth at last season's USF Invitational, finishing 18 shots behind Middle Tennessee State, who finished first. Nathan Colson, a senior last year, was MU's highest finisher, shooting 214 to finish third, three shots off the pace.

The Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate is contested on the Wexford Plantation Golf Course in Hilton Head, S.C. The course plays to a par of 72 and is 6,838 yards long.

The USF Invitational takes place at Lake Jovita Country Club for the first time in the history of the event. Marquette is familiar with Lake Jovita as it hosted several Conference USA Championship events.