Monarchs Capture First Ever CAA Golf Championship

April 22, 2003

MIDLOTHIAN, VA. - Old Dominion shot a nine under par 279 to force a playoff, thenmade two birdies on the first sudden death playoff hole to beat #38 UNC Wilmington and win the school's first ever Colonial Athletic Association Golf Championship. Senior Geoffrey Harris (Reading, England) was 13-under par for a CAA tournament record 203. The Monarchs will now advance to the NCAA Regionals, May 15-17 as a team for the first time ever.

Trailing by five strokes at the start of the day,The Monarchs, coached by Dr. Murray Rudisill tied UNC Wilmington on the lasthole thanks to a birdie put by Harris to send the match in to sudden death."I rode out and told Harris he needed a birdie on 18," said ODU coach Murray Rudisill. " Hesaid, okay, I'll do it. He likes pressure. If I wanted anybody to have that putt, it's Jeff." On the first hole,Harris and freshman Nick Kenney (Toronto, Canada) birdied to clinch the title.

Four Monarchs finished in the top 20. After Harris, Chris Kline (Hampton, VA.)and Nick Kenney (Toronto, Canada) each shot 222 for the tournament to take 13th andGreg Sampson (Warren, RI.) shot 225 to take 19th. Chris Piercy (Reading, England) took 27th.

Harris now has ten top ten finishes and six top five finishes. Earlier this year he wonthe Matlock Collegiate in Lakeland, FL. He is the fourth Monarch in school history to wina conference individual championship. Harris joins ODU Hall of Famers J.P. Leigh whowon the Mason Dixon Conference in 1967, 68 and 69, Alan Schulte who won the Sun Belt titlein 1984 and 1985 and Jon Hurst won the 1989 Sun Belt crown.

As a team, this is the Monarchs second tournament title this season. ODU won the MissionCollegiate crown in Orlando, FL.,back in November. The team has seven top six finishesthis year.

"I'm overjoyed," continuted Rudisill."We saved our best round of the spring for the final round of thetournament. It was an opportune performance."