May 20, 1998
UP NEXT: UNLV, the nation's unanimous No. 1 team, travels to Albuquerque, N.M., for its 10th-straight appearance at the 30-team NCAA Championships, which will be held at the par-72, 7,248-yard University of New Mexico Championship Golf Course, Wednesday, May 27 through Saturday, May 30.
THE FORMAT: The 30 teams and six individuals competing in the 72-hole tournament will play 18 holes per day over a four-day span. Each team will have five players and count the low four individual scores from each 18-hole round. The field will be cut to the top 15 teams plus ties following the second round. UNLV, which has been awarded the No. 1 seed for the second consecutive year, will play with No. 2-seeded Clemson and No. 3-seeded Georgia Tech for the first two rounds.
The second two rounds will be re-seeded. The Rebels are scheduled to go off from the 10th tee at 12:20 p.m. (all times MDT) for Monday's practice round and start off the 1st tee at 8:50 a.m. for Tuesday's practice round. UNLV is then set for a 12:27 p.m. start off No. 10 for Wednesday's first round and a 7:30 a.m. start off No. 1 for Thursday's second round.
RANKED FIELD: Among the 30 teams participating, 29 are ranked in the MasterCard Collegiate Golf Rankings as of May 6. The only team that is not in the top 50 is Kent.
UNLV'S LINEUP: Competitors for the Rebels will be senior Bill Lunde, junior Chris Berry, junior Charley Hoffman, sophomore Jeremy Anderson and freshman Scott Lander.
STACKING UP: UNLV is an impressive 74-21 this season vs. the other 29 teams making up the 1998 NCAA Championships. UNLV has a winning record against 20 of the teams, is .500 against three of the teams and has not faced six of the teams. UNLV does not have a losing record against any of the teams this season.
LAST YEAR'S NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS: At last year's NCAA Championships at Conway Farms (par 72, 6,534 yards) in Lake Forest, Ill., UNLV (300-293--593) did not make the second-day cut and finished 22nd out of 30 teams. UNLV, which was the No. 1 seed at the event for the first time in its history, was not the first No. 1 team to fail to make the cut. Arizona was the first top-seeded team at the NCAA Championships to fail to make the cut in 1993 at Lexington, Ky. Also, Wake Forest, who was the No. 1 team in the country failed to make it out of the East Regional one year. Pepperdine (287-288-286-287--1,148) won the 1997 NCAA Team Championship, while Charles Warren (71-68-73-67--279) of Clemson took home the individual title. UNLV's top finisher's were Bill Lunde (72-73--145) and Ted Oh (74-71--145), who both tied for 85th.
UNLV vs. THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS FIELD BY REGIONAL FINISH (74-22):
-West- -Central- -East-1. New Mexico (16) 8-3 1. Houston (7) 4-1 1. Georgia Tech (2) 3-12. Arizona State (10) 6-3 2. Oklahoma (18) 3-0 2. Clemson (3) 4-13. UNLV (1) 3. Northwestern (28) 2-0 3. Auburn (13) 1-14. California (30) 1-0 4. TCU (8) 4-4 4. Georgia (4) 1-15. Arizona (5) 7-2 5. Nebraska (29) 0-0 5. Florida (11) 3-26. Oregon (35) 3-0 6. Minnesota (26) 0-0 6. N. Carolina St. (17) 1-07. UCLA (19) 2-0 7. Oklahoma State (6) 4-3 7. North Carolina (12) 3-08. Fresno State (42) 5-0 8. Ohio State (32) 3-0 8. South Carolina (9) 0-09. UCSB (46) 2-0 9. Miami, Ohio (47) 0-0 9. Augusta State (14) 0-010. Kent 1-0 10. E. Tenn. St. (20) 3-011. SE Louisiana (43) 0-0(MasterCard Collegiate Golf Ranking as of May 20 in Parentheses)
UNLV ALL-TIME NCAA FINALS RESULTS
Year Site UNLV Champion1997 Lake Forst, Ill. 22nd Pepperdine1996 Chattanooga, Tenn. 2nd Arizona State1995 Columbus, Ohio 15th Oklahoma State1994 McKinney, Texas 7th Stanford1993 Lexington, Ky. 8th Florida1992 Albuquerque, N.M. 4th Arizona1991 Pebble Beach, Calif. 8th Oklahoma State1990 Tarpon Springs, Fla. 18th Arizona State1989 Edmond, Okla. 27th Oklahoma
UNLV NCAA TOP-10 FINISHERS
1st Warren Schutte 1991 2833rd Mike Ruiz 1996 2913rd Chris Riley 1993 2878th Chris Riley 1994 2819th Ted Oh 1996 29510th Ed Fryatt 1992 285
KNIGHT COMES HOME: Coach Knight, who began his head coaching career in Albuquerque with the Lobos in 1978 will return for the NCAA Championships. Knight has a thorough knowledge of UNM's Championshp Golf Course, which should give UNLV an advantage.
RECORD BREAKERS: UNLV's win at the John A. Burns Intercollegiate on Feb. 18-20 was the best Rebel showing ever. UNLV (283-279-267-829, 35-under-par) set six records on its way to its fifth win of the season. The records follow:
Sum It was the first time that UNLV has recorded three-straight tournament wins. The Rebels' previ ous best was two in a row, which they accomplished twice (1992-93 and 1993-94).
Sum It was the first time that UNLV won more than four events in a season. The Rebels won four tournaments in 1993-94, 1995-96 and 1996-97.
Sum UNLV's third-round total of 267 set the record for the Rebels' lowest-ever round. The old mark was 271 at the 1992 NCAA West Regional at Tucson National Golf Club in Tucson, Ariz.
Sum UNLV's 21-under-par third round set the record for the Rebel's lowest under-par round ever. The old mark was 17-under-par at the 1992 NCAA West Regional.
Sum The Rebels' tournament total of 829 set the record for UNLV's lowest-ever tournament total. The old mark was 832 at the 1990 NCAA West Regional at the University Golf Course in Las Cruces, N.M.
Sum The Rebels' 35-under-par tournament set the record for UNLV's lowest-ever under-par total. The old mark was 32-under-par at the 1990 NCAA West Regional.
HONORED REBEL: Sophomore Jeremy Anderson has been this season's most honored Rebel. Most recently Anderson was named to the All-WAC Team. He was named WAC Golfer of the Week on Apr. 15 and Feb. 18. The GolfWorld Invitational and BELLSOUTH Yellow Pages Intercollegiate champion, was also named both the WAC Golf Athlete of the Month and the College Golf Foundation's Rolex National College Golfer of the Month for November.
REBELS REPRESENTING THE NATION: Jeremy Anderson and Bill Lunde were recently selected to represent the United States at two different events. Anderson will take part in the Palmer Cup in St. Andrews, Scotland, Aug. 3-4, while Lunde will play in the USA vs. Japan matches in Chiba, Japan, July 30-Aug. 2.
KNIGHT WINS NO. 30: With UNLV's latest team championship at the BELLSOUTH Yellow Pages Intercollegiate in Cary, N.C., Coach Knight won his 30th tournament with the Rebels.
ANDERSON WINS TWICE: With his latest individual title at the BELLSOUTH Intercollegiate, Jeremy Anderson became the first Rebel to win more than one tournament in a season since Chris Riley (3) and Edward Fryatt (2) accomplished the feat in 1993-94.
ALL-WAC: UNLV was the only school in the conference with more than one player selected to the 1997-98 All-WAC Team as Bill Lunde and Jeremy Anderson were both honored following the WAC Championship.
KNIGHT WINS WAC COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD: After leading his team to a school-record six wins this season, Head Coach Dwaine Knight was honored following the WAC Championship as the 1997-98 WAC Golf Coach of the Year. It marked the first time he has received a conference Coach of the Year award since he was named Co-Big West Coach of the Year in 1989.
UNLV AT UNM'S CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE IN 1997-98: UNLV has played in two tournaments this season at the Championship Golf Course. At the first tournament of the year, UNLV (285-300--585) finished tied for 10th out of 23 teams at the William H. Tucker Invitational, Sept. 19-20. UNLV ran away with the team title at the following tournament, the PING Preview Invitational, held Sept. 29-30, for its first team championship of the year. UNLV (285-285-283--853) finished 11-under par, seven strokes ahead of Oklahoma State and TCU. Charley Hoffman (71-68-68--207/2nd) and Bill Lunde (68-75-68--211/T4th) both finished in the top five at the event.
REBEL RANKINGS: UNLV is ranked No. 1 in all three polls for the second consecutive season. Last year, the Rebels were the unanimous No. 1 for the majority of the season, a feat never before accomplished by a UNLV golf team.
MasterCard (May 20) Golfweek (April 5) GCAA (April 22)1. UNLV 1. UNLV 1. UNLV2. Georgia Tech 2. Georgia Tech 2. TCU3. Clemson 3. TCU 3. Clemson4. Georgia 4. Clemson 4. Oklahoma State5. Arizona 5. Houston 5. Arizona6. Oklahoma State 6. Arizona 6. Georgia Tech7. Houston 7. Oklahoma State 7. Georgia8. TCU 8. Georgia 8. Houston9. South Carolina 9. North Carolina 9. Florida10. Arizona State 10. Arizona State 10. Arizona State11. Florida 11. Arkansas 11. Augusta State12. North Carolina 12. Florida 12. North Carolina13. Auburn 13. Augusta State 13. New Mexico14. Augusta State 14. E. Tennessee St. 14. Arkansas15. Arkansas 15. South Carolina 15. Brigham Young16. New Mexico 16. Auburn 16. South Carolina17. N.C. State 17. Florida State 17. Minnesota18. Oklahoma 18. North Carolina St. 18. Florida State19. UCLA 19. New Mexico 19. East Tennessee St.20. East Tennessee St. 20. Brigham Young 20. Oklahoma21. Colorado State 21. Colorado State 21. North Carolina State22. Florida State 22. Southern California 22. Colorado State23. Virginia 23. Louisiana State 23. Southern California24. Brigham Young 24. UTEP 24. Tulsa25. Louisiana State 25. Minnesota 25. Northwestern
INDIVIDUAL SUCCESS: UNLV is the only team in the nation that has three players ranked in the MasterCard individual top 25. They are Jeremy Anderson (5th), Bill Lunde (11th) and Charley Hoffman (22nd). Chris Berry is ranked 60th, while Scott Lander fell out of the top 100.
TOURNAMENT QUICK FACTS:SCHEDULEMonday, May 25Practice Round, UNLV off 10 at 12:20 p.m. MDT
Tuesday, May 26Practice Round, UNLV off 1 at 8:50 a.m. MDT
Wednesday, May 27First Round, UNLV off 10 at 12:27 p.m. MDT
Thursday, May 28Second Round, UNLV off 1 at 7:30 a.m. MDT
Friday, May 29Third Round, (Re-seeded) 7:30 a.m. on 1 & 10
Saturday, May 30Final Round, (Re-seeded) 7:30 a.m. on 1 & 10
HOST SCHOOLNew Mexico
COURSEUniversity of New Mexico Championship Golf Course (Par 72 and 7,248 yards)TOURNAMENT DIRECTORConrad Colbert, UNM Senior Associate Athletics Director
CONSISTENTLY GOOD: Jeremy Anderson has finished in the top-10 in seven out of 13 tournaments this season...Bill Lunde has finished in the top-10 six times, while Charley Hoffman has five times. UNLV has recorded top-4 finishes in 12 of 14 tournaments ...The Rebels have recorded 13 top-10 finishes in 14 tournaments (the Morris Williams Intercoll. only had nine teams).
RECORD-SETTING YEAR: UNLV has won a school-record six times this season. The previous best was four victories which the Rebels accomplished in 1993-94, 1995-96 and 1996-97.
SHOOTING FOR THE RECORD BOOKS: Chris Berry and Bill Lunde's final-round scores of 65 at the John A. Burns tie them for the fourth-lowest round in Rebel history...Jeremy Anderson also shot a 65 in his win at the GolfWorld Invitational...Three ex-Rebels have shot rounds of 64...They were Chris Riley (1993-94), Warren Schutte (1992-93) and Edward Fryatt (1992-93)...Berry's Burns tournament total of 203 ties him with Anderson, who shot 203 at the GolfWorld Invitational earlier in the year, for the second-lowest 54-hole total in Rebel history...Hub Goyen shot the lowest 54-hole total in 1990 with 201 at the NCAA West Regional.
UNLV NOTES: UNLV makes its 10th-straight appearance in the NCAA Championships after previously never qualifying for the event...The Rebels have made the second-day cut at the NCAA Finals six of the last seven years...UNLV's third-place showing at the 1998 NCAA West Regional means the school has never finished lower than fifth in its 10-year history at the event...UNLV has come in first (6) or second place (2) in eight of its 14 tournaments this season and an amazing 20 of its last 32 dating back to the 1995-96 season...
Senior Bill Lunde, junior Chris Berry and sophomore Jeremy Anderson are making their second appearance at the NCAA Championships, while junior Charley Hoffman and freshman Scott Lander will be making their debut...The Rebels are looking to bring UNLV its second team NCAA championship in the school's history...The Runnin' Rebel 1990 men's basketball team is UNLV's only team national champion...UNLV has won six team titles this season which already surpasses the school record by two...Rebel Golf boasts one of the school's three male individual national champions as Warren Schutte won the big NCAA prize at Pebble Beach in 1991...The other two are from tennis in 1997.
UNLV NCAA FINALS RECORDSBest Team Finish: 2nd (1996)Low Team Round: 279 (3rd Rd., 1992)Low Team Score: 1,149 (1994)Best Indiv. Finish: 1st (Warren Schutte, 1991)Low Indiv. Round: 67 (Warren Schutte, 1991 & Chris Riley, 1994)Low Indiv. Score: 281 (Chris Riley, 1994)
1996-97 vs. 1997-98 COMPARISON: UNLV has been ranked No. 1 in all polls for the majority of the past two seasons. Here are some statistical comparisons from both seasons entering the NCAA Finals:
1997-98 1996-97Low Individual Stroke Average: 71.89, Jeremy Anderson (2,732/38) 72.81, Ted Oh (2,257/31)Low Team Score (3 rounds): 829, John A. Burns 847, NCAA West RegionalLow Team Round: 267, John A. Burns 276, PING InvitationalLow Indiv. Score (3 rounds): 203, Jeremy Anderson, GolfWorld 208, Ted Oh, NCAA West 203, Chris Berry, John A. BurnsLow Indiv. Round: 65, Jeremy Anderson, GolfWorld 65, Bill Lunde, Big Island 65, Chris Berry, John A. Burns 65, Bill Lunde, John A. BurnsBest Team Finish: 1st, Six Times 1st, Four TimesTeam Rounds Par or Under: 20 of 38, 52.6%, 18 under 22 of 34, 64.7%, 21 underMost Ind. Rounds Par or Under: 23, Bill Lunde 13, Mike RuizBest Pct. Ind. Rnds Par or Und.: 60.5%, Bill Lunde (12/28) 43%, J. Anderson (12/28) 43%, G. Morales (12/28)Total Team Strokes: 10,947 9,842Total Team Rounds 38 34Total Team Score Avg.: 288.08 289.47
NCAA WEST REGIONAL REVIEW: UNLV (287-289-289--861) finished third at the 1998 NCAA West Regional Championships, May 14-16, at ASU's Karsten Golf Course (par 72, 7,037 yards) in Tempe, Ariz. It marked the 10th-straight apperance at the event for the Rebels, who have never finished lower than fifth place, qualifying for the NCAA Finals each year. New Mexico (287-289-282--858) and Arizona State (293-277-288--858) tied for the team championship. Arizona State's Paul Casey (70-65-71--206) won the individual title by one shot over Oregon's Ben Crane (70-71-66--207). UNLV was led by three players who all tied for 14th. They were Jeremy Anderson (71-73-72--216), Charley Hoffman (73-71-72--216) and Chris Berry (73-72-71--216). Bill Lunde (74-73-70--217) tied for 19th, while Scott Lander (70-75-73--218) tied for 23rd.
WAC REVIEW: UNLV (277-288-287--852) finished second at the 1998 Western Athletic Conference Championship, April 27-29, at Poppy Ridge Golf Course (par 72, 7,121 yards) in Livermore, Calif. TCU (278-292-277--847), which won its second consecutive conference championship, finished five shots ahead of the Rebels. UNLV had a five-shot lead heading into the final round, but TCU's 11-under-par 277 was enough to capture the title. TCU's J.J. Henry (67-70-68--205) won the individual crown, while UNLV's Bill Lunde (68-74-68--207) and SMU's Hank Kuehne (70-65-72--207) tied for second. Other Rebels competing were Chris Berry (70-73-71--214/tied for seventh), Scott Lander (71-71-73--215/tied for 12th), Jeremy Anderson (68-74-76--218/tied for 20th) and Charley Hoffman (72-73-75--220/tied for 27th).
RESULTS: In addition to UNLV Sports Information e-mailing daily results to Las Vegas media, the complete results for the 1998 NCAA Championships may be obtained by calling the Info Connection Fax-on-Demand System. Info Connection be accessed by dialing (770) 563-1131 from the handset of your fax machine. Media members then need to enter their pin number. If you do not have a pin number please call (800) 300-2050. The conference code is 922 and the document number is 1830. Also, daily results may be found on the official website of UNLV Athletics at www.unlvrebels.com.
