Tuesday, April 26, 2005
OU golfer claims Mid-Con title, Player of the Year honor
Senior Brian Stuard earned OU’s first-ever Mid-Con individual title and Player of the Year accolades at the Mid-Continent Conference Golf Championship held at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Ill., April 18 and 19.
He claimed the victory over Southern Utah’s Kenny Ebalo, finishing the three-round tournament with a 216 (69-73-74). He never trailed in the tournament and his first round score of 69 was the fifth time this season the senior posted a sub-70 round. This also marked his fourth individual title of the 2004-05 season.
As a team, the Golden Grizzlies placed sixth with a 912 (298-304-310) average for the week.
Finishing tied for eighth and earning second team all-conference honors was junior Jonathon Pauli with rounds of 74-76-76 for a 226. Rounding out the Golden Grizzlies was Chad Eilliot (78-78-79=235) in a tie for 24th, Rob Reynolds (77-77-81=235) also in a tie for 24th and Matt Pullen (81-78-84=243) tied in 35th place.
IUPUI ran away with the team trophy for the first time since 2002 with a 902 squad average, followed by Southern Utah (905), Western Illinois (906), UMKC (907) and Oral Roberts (911). Finishing behind Oakland was Centenary (927) and Chicago State (1,028).
Meanwhile, OU women’s team hung on to second place throughout the Mid-Con Championship to equal the program’s highest finish ever in six years of Division I competition. Collectively, the Golden Grizzlies carded a 989 (324-335-330), while sophomore Christina Cibrario led the team with a three-round score of 244 (74-86-84) to finish sixth overall and earn second team All-Mid-Con honors.
Joining Cibrario on the league’s second team was junior Patricia Ellsworth and sophomore Stacey Goins. Ellsworth, a six-time Mid-Con Player of the Week during the 2004-05 season, posted a three-day total of 246 (79-89-78) to place eighth. Goins finished ninth with a 247 (81-81-85) in the three-round tournament.
Rounding out the Golden Grizzlies, senior Leigh Gulbransen had a 254 (90-81-83) and freshman Katie Hollenbeck finished with a 266 (91-87-88), placing 14th and 22nd, respectively.
Oakland finished behind eight-time defending champion Oral Roberts (939). Following OU was Western Illinois in third (1005), UMKC in fourth (1012) and IUPUI in fifth (1046).
For more information on OU's golf teams, visit the OU Athletics Web site.