April 20, 2007
HOT SPRINGS, Va. (April 20, 2007) - Old Dominion University men's golf coach Murray Rudisill was selected as the CAA Coach of theYear and freshman Eric Onesi (Bear, DE.), CAA Rookie of the Year in a vote of the CAA's head coaches. Junior Stan Guerrero (Mexico) was named to the first team All-CAA squad and freshman John Murphy (WIlton, CT.)was named second team All-CAA.
After the first round of play, freshman John Murphy is tied with VCU's Jens Fahrbring for first with a 69. Stan Guerrero is tied for sixth at73. As a team, ODU is third just three strokes behind leader and defending CAA champion Georgia State.
Onesi, a freshman product of St. Marks in Bear, Del., leads the Monarchs and is second in the CAA with a stroke average of 72.41 during his first collegiate season. The rookie has completed 10 tournaments and has finished among the top 10 in three of them. His best outing of the season was a second-place finish at the ODU/Seascape Tournament at the end of October. He also placed fourth in his first outing as a Monarch in September when he shot 70-69-70=209 at the Mid Pines Intercollegiate Tournament.
Rudisill is in his 31st season at the helm of Old Dominion's men's program. He is a six-time conference and four-time Virginia State Coach of the Year honoree. Rudisill earned a pair of Sun Belt Coach of the Year honors in 1984 and 1989, before receiving the award from the CAA in 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2007. In 2003, Rudisill lead the Monarchs to a CAA Championship title, which was won in a playoff at the Independence Golf Club. This season, Rudisill has guided his team to eight top-five finishes, including a first place finish at the Joe Agee Invitational in October.Sjoholm, a junior from Gothenburg, Sweden, claimed the conference's top honor after leading the conference with a stroke average of 71.91 through nine tournaments. He has finished in the top-10 in six of his competitions, including a second place finish in the Georgia State/Pepperdine Challenge completing the one-round tournament with a score of 71.
Murphy tied for seventh at W&M's Joe Agee tournament and took tenth at Argonut Classic. He had a 72.8 stroke average in the fall and a73.2 average in the spring. Guererro tied for second at Raines in the fall and took fifth at Mission Inn Tournament in the Spring. He compileda 71.7 stroke average in the fall and a 73.2 average in the spring.
The CAA men's and women's championships begin Friday THe Homestead in Hot Springs, Va at 10 am.
2007 CAA MEN'S GOLF AWARDS
Golfer of the Year - Joel Sjoholm, Georgia StateRookie of the Year - Eric Onesi, Old DominionCoach of the Year - Murray Rudisill, Old Dominion
CAA ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM1st teamRafael Campos, VCUStan Guerrero, ODUMark Haastrup, Georgia StateEric Onesi, ODUJoel Sjoholm,Georgia State
2nd teamJeff Castle, TowsonJens Fahbring, VCUDoug Hurson,W&MJoe McLister, DelawareJohn Murphy, ODU
Colonial Athletic Assoc.Men's GOlf ChampionshipRound: 1 Par-Yardage: 70-6679
School Scores1 Georgia State Univ. 292 +122 VCU 294 +143 Old Dominion Univ. 295 +15Delaware, U. of 295 +155 Towson University 299 +196 Wm. & Mary, Coll. of 300 +207 Drexel University 302 +228 UNC Wilmington 304 +249 James Madison Univ. 309 +2910 Hofstra University 310 +3011 George Mason Univ. 318 +38
Individual LeaderJens Fahbring, VCU 69
ODU GOLFERST1 John Murphy 69T6 Stan Guerrero 73T25 Matthew Watson 76T32 Eric Onesi 77Matthew Rendell 77