Sept. 24, 2008

Sept. 24 C-USA Golf Notebook

Eight Conference USA golf teams appear in the latest Golfweek's Top-100 rankings. The UAB men claim the highest overall ranking coming in at No. 28, followed by UCF at No. 36. Rounding out the men's rankings are SMU (No. 73) and Rice (No. 99). On the women's side, Tulsa leads all C-USA teams appearing at No. 31, followed by Tulane at No. 37. East Carolina and UTEP fill the last two slots at No. 53 and No. 66, respectively.

UAB's Zach Sucher is this week's Conference USA Men's Golfer of the Week after capturing co-medalist honors at the Shoal Creek Intercollegiate in Birmingham, Ala. UTEP's Deborah Martinez claims the Women's Golfer of the Week award. The junior finished in a four way tie for 35th at the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational, shooting a three-round total of 230.

MEN'S GOLFER OF THE WEEK
Zack Sucher - UAB
Sr., Mobile, Ala. (St. Paul's Episcopal)
The 2007-08 Conference USA Golfer of the Year led the Blazers to a third-place finish with a team score of 890 (301-294-295). Sucher tied East Tennessee State's Rhys Enoch for co-medalist honors with a tournament total of two-under par 214. Sucher began the event with an even par 72, followed by a three-under par 69 during the second round. His final round one-over 73 was highlighted by three birdies. The senior finished four strokes ahead of the nearest competition and were the only golfers in the event to finish under par. This is the Sucher's fifth career weekly honor, his first in 2008-09.

WOMEN'S GOLFER OF THE WEEK
Deborah Martinez - UTEP
Jr., San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico
Martinez, a 2007-08 All Conference USA Third Team and All-Academic Team selection, was the Miner's top finisher at the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M. The junior had her best round in the final round of the competition shooting 78-78-74 in the three-day tournament. Martinez also led the Miner's in their season opening tournament at the Ptarmigan/Ram Fall Classic in Fort Collins, Colo. shooting a two-over par 218 for a 22nd place finish. The weekly honor is the first of Martinez's career.

OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

CARSON SCHAMBACH - MARSHALL
Schambach was Marshall's top finisher at the Adams Cup in Newport, R.I. which featured 84 athletes in the competition. The freshman closed out the tournament in a five-way tie for 37th place after shooting 76-74-79 (229)in the two-day tournament.

ROCKY CLELAND - SOUTHERN MISS.
Cleland shot three-over par 219 (69-70-80) at the Adams Cup to earn a sixth-place finish and lead the Golden Eagles to a fourth-place finish. The senior currently leads his squad, averaging 72.2 strokes per round in two tournaments.

GREG FOREST - UCF
In an event that featured eight of the top-30 teams in the nation according to Golfweek, Forest posted a strong showing at the Olympia Fields Illini Invitational. The senior entered the final day tied for 21st, but carded a one-under 69 to close the event at 214 (+4) and tie for 11th-place.