June 3, 2002

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After failing to qualify for last year's NCAA Championships, the UNLV men's golf team resumed its place among the nation's elite by returning to the national finals this year. The Rebels finished 23rd at the NCAA Championship, following back-to-back wins at the Kepler Intercollegiate and MWC Championship before finishing third at the NCAA West Regional. The troop also soared back into the rankings, ending the season in every major top 25 poll.

Fueling the Rebels' spring charge was freshman Ryan Moore. The fab freshman from Puyallup, Wash., capped an amazing season with an eighth-place effort in his first appearance at the national finals. That performance earned him honorable mention All-America honors, putting the final touches on a wild rookie season.

As if Moore's performance at nationals wasn't enough, the freshman phenom became just the second Rebel ever to qualify for the U.S. Open while still in school. Just two days after his All-American run, Moore held off 16 others in a playoff for only one qualifying spot.

Moore's efforts alone, however, could not carry the Rebel team. Senior Clark Corbett was the only other player on the squad to play in every round and led the Rebels to their first tourney victory in two years by finishing second at the Kepler Intercollegiate.

Brandon Askew, Brien Davis and J.C. Deacon anchored the lineup throughout the rest of the spring. Askew's steady improvement was marked by back-to-back top 10 finishes in the Rebels' two team wins. Davis claimed his spot in the lineup -- a spot he would never relinquish -- after a stunning performance at the Las Vegas Collegiate, in which he placed 12th as an individual. And Deacon, a second freshman in the lineup, peaked with a runner-up finish at the conference championship.

Although the Rebels' string of 13 consecutive trips to the NCAA Championship was snapped last season, the team began a new streak, and managed to extend its streak of regional appearances at 15. The Rebels also won two tourneys and produced the 30th All-American under head coach Dwaine Knight.

Only Corbett departs on what should be a vastly improved and experienced team next season. Six players who saw time this year return along with sophomore Travis Whisman, who underwent back surgery and missed the year after showing flashes of brilliance as a freshman. Newcomers Ryan Keeney, of Redmond, Wash., and Ryan Posey, of Dallas, will load Knight's 2002-03 roster with not only plenty of Ryans, but also plenty of talent.