July 13, 2006
NORFOLK, VA--In celebration of the 75th anniversary of Old Dominion University, Geoffrey Harris (`03), J.P. Leigh ('69), Jon Hurst ('91) and Jim McGovern (88) headline the 10-member All-Time ODU men's golf squad as voted by the fans onODU's athletic website.
Both J.P Leigh and Jon Hurst were Eastern Amateur Champions while Leigh was the school's first Division II All-American golfer and first ODU golfer to compete in the NCAA Division I tournament. Hurst was ODU's first Division I All-American, while Harris is only the third golfer in CAA history to be named Player of the Year twice. McGovern earned All-Sun Belt honors twice and captured the Virginia Intercollegiate State Championship.
Rounding out the first team are: Mike Hospodar (02), Matt Cannon ('92), Alan Schulte ('85), Josh Cupp ('96), Rich Pruchnik ('88), and Joe Daley ('83).
Jon Hurst (Dumfries, VA.) was ODU's first Division I All-American in golf.In 1991 Hurst earned All-American honors at the NCAA National Championships inMonterey, CA. That season, he won five collegiate tournaments, compiled a 72.5 strokeaverage and placed sixth at the NCAA Regionals at Yale. He was the 1991 VirginiaCollegiate Golfer of the Year, and ranked number one in District three. As a junior Hurstwon the prestigious Eastern Amateur in Portsmouth, Va., and in won the Sun Belt Conference title in 1989. Hurst, was inducted into the ODU Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.
J.P. Leigh (Portsmouth, VA.)was ODU's first ever All-American, earning that honor in 1969 after placing fifth at the NCAA Division II National Championships, then finishing among the top 25 golfers at the NCAA Division I National Championships that same year. A two-time Virginia State Champion at nearby Churchland High School, Leigh won the 1983 Eastern Amateur Championship. J.P. was inducted into the ODU Sports Hall of Fame in 1984.
Geoffrey Harris (Reading, England) was a two-time CAA Player of the Year.As a senior in 2003, Harris won the CAA individual crown and his put on the last holehelped ODU win the CAA team title and advance to its first NCAA regional. Harrisgot it done in the classroom as well, and was named ODU's Jack Wilkins/James Howard Male Scholar Athlete of the Year, graduating with the highest GPA among senior student athletes. He also earned national academic honors by the Golf Coaches Association. One of five national finalists for the Bryon Nelson Award, Harris set an ODU single season scoring average mark of 71.76, and earned All-South Region honors.
Jim McGovern (Oradell, NJ.) captured the Virginia Intercollegiate State Championship in 1987. An All-Sun Belt Conference performer, McGovern placedthird at the Conference championships in 1987, and again in 1988, tying teammateRich Pruchnik. As a pro, McGovern won his first PGA title with a sudden death victoryin the 1993 Houston Open.
Michael Hospodar was a four -time All-CAA and three-time All-State selection, earning those honors in 1999, 2000 and 2002. He earned first team All-CAA honors in 2000 and second team All-League selection in 1999, 2001 and 02. In 2000, Hospodarplaced fourth at the CAA Championships and took second at the Duke Classic.
Matt Cannon (Sparta, NJ.) was the 1991 co-state champion. Cannon placed fourth at the Sun Belt Championships in 1989, and eighth in 1990. Cannon earned first team All-State honors in 1991. In 1992, Cannon took second at the Hargrove B. Davis Memorial, leading ODU to a second place team finish behind North Carolina.
Alan Schulte (Oneonta, NY.) won two Sun Belt Conference Championshipsand was the first Monarch golfer to qualify for the USGA national amateur championships. Schulte won the Sun Belt individual crown in 1984 and 1985 and wasfourth as a sophomore in 1983. As a team, he helped the Monarchs to three straightsecond place finishes in the league. He recorded a 73.6 stroke average in 1985 and wasinducted into the ODU Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.
Rich Pruchnik (Matthews, NC.) was the 1987 Virginia Intercollegiate Golfer of the Year. That Year, he tied McGovern for third at the Sun Belt Conference championships. He also placed third as a junior in 1987 and ninth as a senior in1986.
Joe Daley (Plymouth Meeting, PA.) placed fifth at the 1983 Sun Belt Conference championships. As a professional he has competed on the PGA Tour, Nike Tour, and the Buy.com tour. Daley finished tied for 12th in the Greater Hartford Open in 1999. He also competed in the 2000 U.S. Open.
Josh Cupp (Rome, NY.) earned first team All-State honors in 1996 and placed third that year at the CAA Championships. He was the Monarchs top golfer in six of the 11 events. He also took second at the ODU Seascape tournament.
Receiving honorable mention votes were: Mark Borkovich ('89), Stan Jones('90), Chris Krueger ('96), Sean Noonan ('90), Chris Piercy (`03), Scott Ramsey ('86),Rick Schuller ('85), Steve Sokol ('00) and Troy Thorne ('99).
The final team to be selected will be men's and women's tennis later this month.