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Men's golf team cracks
national rankings
From ECU reports
GREENVILLE — East Carolina's men’s golf team has been ranked 20th in the
nation by GOLFSTAT, the organization that administers computer rankings used
by the NCAA Golf Championship.
The rankings, which were released over the weekend, are the first of the
2002-03 season and mark the first time in school history the Pirates have
made the Top 25 list.
The men are 27-1 on the year and have had one first place and six second
place finishes in 11 events since they hosted their own tournament in 2001,
The Pirate Fall Intercollegiate.
There are 292 total NCAA Division I men’s golf programs. The men
completed last season with an 82nd place ranking.
ECU head coach Kevin Williams downplayed the significance of the honor
for the present but pointed to it as payback for diligent effort
and as a positive factor that can help keep the team motivated over the long
haul.
“It is awfully early in the year to be concerned about rankings, but
we’ll take it,” Williams said. “I am very proud of our
team for all the hard work. To see the work ethic pay off is very rewarding.
We have a long year ahead, but this is the type of achievement that makes it
easier to continue working hard and focus, which I believe is a trademark of
this team.”
Fellow Conference USA members Texas Christian (9) and Southern Miss (25)
also made the GOLFSTAT Top 25.
On the women’s side, the Pirates are ranked 40th, while South Florida (15)
and Tulane (24) snagged Top 25 spots.
This is only the third season that East
Carolina has sponsored NCAA Division I women’s golf. Last season, the Pirate women finished
No. 58 in the division, which includes 210 programs.
The East Carolina women will next participate in the Nittany Lion
Invitational on October 5-6, a tournament hosted by Penn State. The ECU women will
then return home to host the Lady Pirate Fall Intercollegiate on October 14-15 at the
Greenville Country Club.
The men will travel to Newport, RI, on October 8-9, to play in the Adams
Cup of Newport hosted by the University of Rhode Island and then return home
to host the 2002 Pirate Fall Intercollegiate on October 21-22 at Bradford Creek
Golf Course.
Visit ECUPirates.com. Bonesville.net contributed to
this report.
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