April 30, 2003
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STORYLINE: The UNLV men's golf team head to Sunriver, Ore., this week to defend the Mountain West Conference Championship. The 54-hole tournament begins on Thursday, May 1 and continues through Saturday, May 3, with 18 holes scheduled for each day at the Crosswater Course (Par 72--7,270 Yards) at Sunriver Resort. Play will begin at 10:00 a.m. PST daily.
ABOUT UNLV: UNLV, ranked No. 7 in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index, seeks its third MWC title in four years. The Rebels won the league's inaugural championship in 2000 in Palm Desert, Calif., and captured last year's trophy in Sunriver. They will also welcome back top player Ryan Moore, who missed the last tournament to play in The Masters. Moore is currently ranked 10th by Golfweek and is a finalist for the prestigious Hogan Award. UNLV has six conference titles to its credit, all achieved in the Dwaine Knight era. The Rebels won four Big West crowns in the 90s before capturing two of the first three Mountain West championships.
THE FIELD: All eight schools in the Mountain West Conference sponsor men's golf. The Mountain West Conference hosts: Air Force, Brigham Young, Colorado State, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV, Utah and Wyoming.
THE LINEUP: UNLV's lineup consists of senior Brien Davis, sophomores J.C. Deacon, Ryan Moore and Travis Whisman, and freshman Ryan Keeney.
HEAD COACH DWAINE KNIGHT: UNLV men's golf head coach Dwaine Knight begins his 16th year at the helm of the Rebel program. During his tenure, UNLV has been a perennial power with six league championships, 13 NCAA finals appearances and the 1998 national title. Last year's MWC Coach of the Year was the only mentor to twice claim GCAA National Coach of the Year honors in the 1990s (1991 and 1998). He has produced an amazing 30 All-Americans and guided five different players to the PGA Tour.
MORE ON MOORE: Aside from being a finalist for the Hogan Award, presented to the top male collegiate golfer in the country, sophomore All-American Ryan Moore has compiled an impressive golf resume over the last year. At the ripe age of 20, the 2002 U.S. Amateur Public Links champion already has two majors under his belt - the 2002 U.S. Open and the 2003 Masters. He has also been chosen to represent the U.S. at this year's Palmer Cup and at the inaugural Copa de las Americas in Puerto Rico.
