Dec. 20, 2007

MILWAUKEE - Marquette University junior Mike Van Sickle was recently named to the Golf World Mid-season All-American team. Van Sickle was also recognized as the "Best Player You've (Maybe) Never Heard Of," by the publication's senior collegiate writer Ryan Herrington.

Van Sickle was just one of 12 men's golfers nationwide and the only player in the BIG EAST Conference to earn the mid-year accolade. At the halfway point, Van Sickle's six eagles and 87 birdies are currently the most in NCAA Division I, while his 69.67 scoring average after 18 rounds ranks among the best in the country.

"The 20-year-old junior wasn't a blue-chip recruit coming out of Wexford, Pa., but the late bloomer is giving golf journalists something to write by becoming the Golden Eagles' all-time best player," Herrington stated in his "Campus Insider Blog."

Van Sickle has won five tournaments thus far at Marquette, including a pair of medalist honors and four top-10 finishes this fall.

"The most impressive thing to me is he didn't really play his best golf this fall, and he still won a few events," Marquette head coach Tim Grogran told Herrington. "He's learned he doesn't have to play perfect golf, and he can still contend."

The Golden Eagles will compete in five tournaments this spring, beginning with the Ron Smith/USF Invitational, February 29 through March 2, in Tampa, Fla., prior to the BIG EAST Championship.

Link to Golf World article by Ryan Herrington