Sept. 27, 2004
Contact: Alan Ashby
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Upcoming Men's Event
September 27-28: DePaul John Dallio Memorial
Course/Location/Holes: Prairie Landing Golf Club/West Chicago, Ill./54
Yards/Par: 6,950/72
Teams: 14 -- Bradley, Cleveland State, DePaul, Detroit, Eastern Illinois, Evansville, Lewis, Loyola, Notre Dame, Saint Louis, Southern Illinois, William & Mary, UW-Green Bay & Wright State
Upcoming Women's Event
Off This Week
October 3-4: Northern Illinois Huskie Classic
Course: Whisper Creek Golf Club/Huntley, Ill./54
Yards/Par: 6,155/72
Chip Ins: The men's golf team will head to the DePaul John Dallio Memorial this week (Sept. 27-28) fresh off a third-place finish at the Butler Invitational. The Vikings have just two tournaments remaining on their fall slate after the trip to Chicago. The women are off until the Northern Illinois Huskie Classic on Oct. 3-4.
Head Coach Tom Porten: Tom Porten is in his 14th season at the helm of the Viking men's program. He guided the team to its first ever Horizon League Championship in 1998. He was instrumental in founding the women's program in 2001 and was named the league coach of the year just two seasons later. A three-time letterwinner and captain of the golf team, he graduated from CSU in 1990. After serving as an assistant for the Vikings during the 1990-91 season, he assumed the head coaches' role the following year.
DePaul John Dallio Memorial: The men's squad will head to the Chicago area for the John Dallio Memorial, hosted by DePaul on Sept. 27-28. The Vikings are part of a 14-team field that will test the 6,950-yard, par 72 Prairie Landing Golf Club. For the third week in a row, CSU will face a large number of Horizon League schools, including Detroit, Loyola, UW-Green Bay and Wright State. Mike Bognar's sixth-place finish at last year's event helped the Vikings finish sixth as a team.
Porten's Take: "I can't say enough about how we competed at Butler. Now we've got to put that behind us and focus on doing what it takes to put ourselves in a position to win this week. I think at the top of our line-up, Ben [Grandy] and Mike [Rutgers] are only going continue to get stronger as the year progresses."
Recapping Last Week: The golf teams put together a strong showing at the Butler Fall Invitational on Sept. 20-21 at Eagle Creek GC. On the women's side, Kristen Obush claimed her third career medalist honor, putting together consistent rounds of 78-77-78 (233) to win by three shots. She closed out the field by going one-under par over the last nine holes. As a team, CSU was fifth out of six squads. On the men's side, the Vikings closed with a six-over par 290 to move up to third place out of 14 teams. Leading the way was sophomore Ben Grandy, who turned in his best performance at CSU -- carding a one-over 214 (71-70-73) to finish in a four-way tie for second. Classmate Mike Rutgers tied for 12th with a 219 (76-72-71).
Obush Wears Third Crown: Junior Kristen Obush claimed her third career tournament title at the Butler Fall Invitational on Sept. 20-21. She posted consistent rounds of 78-77-78 to finish at 233 -- three shots clear of the rest of the field. She also claimed medalist honors in the Bucknell Lady Bison Classic and the Malone Fall Invitational as a freshman in 2002-03. Obush also has runner-up finishes at last year's Horizon League Championship and CSU Invitational to her credit.
The Young & The Restless: Tom Porten's recruiting efforts the past two seasons are paying dividends at this early juncture of the season. The top four golfers in the line-up are all underclassmen. Sophomores Ben Grandy (71.8) and Mike Rutgers (73.0) top the list, with freshmen Doug Barber (75.3) and Joe Ribelli (77.2) not far behind. Barber was a big reason the Vikings finished third at the Butler Fall Invitational (Sept. 20-21), firing a career-low 72 on his way to finishing in a tie for 15th at 221. The only upperclassman in the lineup -- junior Cody Harris -- checks in with a 77.3 scoring average.
"Barber" Shop Stays Open For The Winter: Freshman Doug Barber has found a unique way to stay busy and in shape in between golf seasons -- the Willoughby native will walk on the men's basketball team. A first team all-district selection at guard as a senior at Willoughby South HS, he was the News Herald and Plain Dealer Player of the Year for Lake and Geauga County. He will more than likely suit up as a shooting guard for the Vikings.
Vikings Return Co-Player Of The Year: Junior Kristen Obush anchors the Viking line-up after earning Horizon League Co-Player of the Year honors in 2004. At the league championship, she shot a second-place score of 242 to finish three-shots out of the lead. After opening the tournament with an uncharacteristic 84, Obush rebounded in the afternoon round with a championship-low 75. She complimented it with an 83 -- the second-best score on a blustery final day. A two-time all-league selection, she is a co-captain this season along with senior Nancy Bowling.
