Bowling Green State University Athletics
Men's Golf Opens Spring Season on Monday
February 18, 2009 | Men's Golf
Feb. 18, 2009
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -
Men's Golf Complete Release (4 pages) 
The Bowling Green State University men's golf team will open the 2009 spring season on Monday (Feb. 23) with a trip to Hilton Head, South Carolina, for the Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate, hosted by Francis Marion University. The two-day, 54-hole event, will run on Feb. 23-24.
The Falcons, of tenth-year head coach Garry Winger, will be led by Matt Schneider, John Powers, Drew Preston, Parker Hewit, Bryan Mitchell, Scott Blackburn and Chad Walker.
Schneider, a junior captain for the 2008-09 squad, leads the team with a 72.40 stroke average, established this fall through 15 rounds of action. He earned MAC Golfer of the Week twice during the fall campaign, finishing first at the John Piper Intercollegiate (70-70-74) and second at the Earl Yestingsmeier Intercollegiate (69-66-74). Schneider currently ranks third in the conference in stroke average, trailing just Tim Lew (Akron, 71.91) and John Hahn (KSU, 72.36).
Powers, also a junior captain, averaged 72.93 through 15 rounds this fall. He shared MAC Golfer of the Week honors with Schneider at the Earl Yestingsmeier Intercollegiate back in September. Powers ranks fourth in the conference in stroke average.
Preston, one of two freshman regulars for the Orange and Brown, averaged 74.50 this past fall through 12 rounds. In his first career tournament as a Falcon he finished third at the Rutherford Intercollegiate with a 54 hole score of 218 (75-72-71), earning MAC Golfer of the Week honors.
The second freshman, Parker Hewit, recorded a stroke average of 75.53 this fall, competing in all 15 rounds. His top finish was at the Xavier Invitational, where he finished in a tie for 24th with a 54 hole score of 216 (71-69-76). He also had 28th place finishes at the John Piper Intercollegiate (228) and Louisville Invitational (218).
Bryan Mitchell, who saw action in 12 rounds this fall, finished with a stroke average of 78.17. He finished 48th at both the Rutherford Intercollegiate (79-81-76--236) and John Piper Intercollegiate (78-74-83--235).
Scott Blackburn, a junior for the Falcons, competed in two tournaments this fall finishing 73rd at both the John Piper Intercollegiate (85-81-83--249) and Earl Yestingsmeier Intercollegiate (84-84-83--251). He averaged 83.33 this fall.
The final Falcon for 2008-09 is junior Chad Walker. Walker, the brother of former All-MAC performer Jace, averaged 78.11 this past fall. His top finish came at the Earl Yestingsmeier Intercollegiate where he finished 38th with a 54 hole score of 223 (73-75-75).
