March 22, 2008

LAS VEGAS - The No. 15 UNLV men's golf team will return to action this Sunday-Tuesday, March 23-25, as it will compete at the National Invitational Tournament, which will be played at Omni Tucson National Golf Club (par 72, 7,033 yards) in Tucson, Ariz. The tournament is being hosted by the University of Arizona.

The 54-hole tournament will be played over three days with 18 holes each day. Rounds are expected to begin at 8 a.m.

The field is made up of Arizona (two squads), Arizona State, Houston, Iowa, Kent State, New Mexico, Notre Dame, Pepperdine, Sam Houston State, TCU, Tulsa, UNLV, UTEP and Virginia.

Arizona State won last year's NIT with a total of 24-under-par 840. ASU's Niklas Lemke won medalist honors at last year's event with a 9-under 207.

UNLV, which won the Southern Highlands Collegiate Championship at Las Vegas' Southern Highlands Golf Club in its last outing, was named Golfweek's Men's National Team of the Week immediately after the event.

The win at the Southern Highlands tourney was UNLV's second team title of the season and sixth straight top-five finish.

UNLV's lineup this week will consist of junior Seung-Su Han, sophomore Eddie Olson, sophomore Brett Kanda, senior C.J. Gatto and freshman Ji Moon. Senior Jarred Texter is also making the trip, but will compete as an individual.

UNLV finished seventh at last year's NIT with a score of 4-over 868 and was led by Han, who tied for fifth with a 5-under 211.