CLARION GOLFERS AT NCAA EAST REGIONAL MAY 7-9

Clarion University’s 2007 men’s golf team will compete in the NCAA Division II East Regional, a 54-hole event, from May 7-9 at the Speidel Golf Club, part of the Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, West Virginia.

Eight teams are vying for the East Regional title, with the winning team gaining an automatic qualifier to the NCAA Championships May 22-25 in Allendale, Michigan. Charleston is the top seed, Clarion is second, followed by Millersville, Concord, IUP, Ohio Valley, Fairmont State and West Liberty State.

Clarion is led by eighth year head coach Al Lefevre, who has now taken the Golden Eagles to the East Regional six straight seasons (2007, 06, 05, 04, 03, 02).

The Golden Eagles won five invitational tournaments in the 2006-07 season including two in the Spring (W.Virginia Wesleyan & St. Vincent) and three in the Fall (Hal Hansen, Wheeling Jesuit and the Bearcat Invitational.).

At the 2006 NCAA East Regional, also held at the Speidel Golf Course, Concord edged Clarion for the title. Concord shot a 54-hole total of 914, while the Golden eagles were second at 920. Charleston meanwhile was third (921), Fairmont State fourth (928), Ohio Valley fifth (930), West Liberty sixth (940), IUP seventh (946) and West Virginia Wesleyan eighth (954).

In the other four NCAA East Regionals Clarion has placed third at Regionals in 2005 with a 915, 5^th in 2004 with a 948 total, plus 8^th at Regional in 2003 (922) and 2002 (924).

The Golden Eagles will have seniors Justin Scott (Sr. Monroeville-Gateway) and Tom Will (Erie- McDowell), along with juniors Justin Moose (N. Huntingdon - Norwin) and Preston Mullens (Emporium - Cameron County) and sophomore Justin Cameron (Punxsutawney) ready to play.

Scott, a senior and tri-captain, has a season scoring average of 75.8. Scott was second in the Fall at PSAC’s with a 147, and tied the school record with a 5-under 67 at the Hal Hansen Invitational, a tournament he was also medalist with a 142. He placed 21^st at Regionals last Spring (236), and was 5^th at the 2005 PSAC’s with a 152 (79, 73). Tournament tested, he placed 4^th at the NCAA East Regionals in 2005 with a 222 (77, 72, 73), and was 6^th at PSAC’s (152). In the Spring 2004 campaign he was 11^th at PSAC’s (155) and a strong 11^th at the NCAA East Regionals with a 232. During the Summer of 2004 Scott qualified for and played in the US Amateur, PA. Open and the West Penn Amateur.

Will, a senior and tri-captain, has a 75.8 average this season. This Spring he was second at the W. Va. Wesleyan tournament, while last year at the East Regional he earned a strong 9^th place finish with a 230 (76, 75, 79). He also had a 67 at the Slippery Rock Invitational last Spring. In the Fall of 2005 he earned All-PSAC honors third at PSAC’s with a 151 (76, 75) and had a low round of 71 at W&J. In the Spring of 2005 he played well including a 16^th place showing at the NCAA East Regionals with a 231 (80, 74, 77). He also earned All-PSAC honors in the Fall of 2004 with a 10^th place finish (157). He also placed 16^th at the Spring 2004 PSAC Championships.

Moose, who has been Clarion’s #1 man the last two seasons, is carrying a 76.3 average into the East Regional. Last year he finished a strong third at the Regional with a 225 (77, 72, 76). In 2006 Moose was the PSAC "Player of the Year". Moose averaged 73.2 in the Fall and had a low round of 67 at Wheeling and 69 at the Hal Hansen. He was the PSAC medalist in the Fall 2005 championship with a 74-76, 150 at Wrendale Country Club.

Mullens, a junior, is averaging 77.3 this season. He was 16^th at Fall PSAC’s (155) and had a low round of 74 at the Hal Hansen. Last Spring he was 37^th at the East Regionals with a 245, but after a first round 90, came back with two quality rounds of 77 and 78. He averaged 76.0 in the Fall of 2005, and had a low round of 70 at Ohio Valley.

Cameron, a sophomore, has had a solid season averaging 77.3 per round. He finished 19^th at the Fall PSAC’s (156). His low score was 73 at the PSAC’s. He averaged 78.7 in the Fall of 2005 and had a low round of 77 at the Hal Hansen. A D-9 champion and PIAA Qualifier in high school, he had a 72.1 scoring average at Punxsutawney High School.

"We have a very good golf team that certainly has a chance to challenge for the East Regional Title this week, said coach Lefevre. "Consistency will be a real key. The course will be setup very tough, so we need to play quality golf in all three rounds. The competition will be great, but we’re looking forward to the challenge."

CLARION NOTES: The Golden Eagles have had tremendous success in the last six years. A PSAC title in 2005 & 2002, four runner-up finishes in the Fall of 2004, Spring of 2004, 2003 and 2001, and six trips to the NCAA Regionals in 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003 and 2002... Lefevre was named PSAC "Coach of the Year" in 2006 and led the Eagles to a PSAC Championship in the Fall of 2005. He also earned "Coach of the Year" honors in 2002 while leading the Golden Eagles to the PSAC team title and its first berth in the NCAA Regional Tournament.