March 27, 2008

GREENVILLE, S.C. - The Marshall University men's golf team will compete at the 39th annual Furman Intercollegiate, a 24-team, 54-hole event, beginning on Friday. Each round of the three-day tournament at the par-72, 6,800-yard Furman University Golf Course begins at 8 a.m.

Last season the Thundering Herd placed third at the Furman Intercollegiate, its best team finish since placing third at the Marshall Invitational in April of 2006. Marshall senior Trent Schambach posted the best finish of his career when he tied for fifth place at last year's event.

Schambach's score of 215 (77-69-69) at last season's Furman Intercollegiate serves as the best 54-hole total of his career.

MU head coach Joe Feaganes will bring six golfers to the event, headed by team stroke leader Christian Brand. The 2007 Conference USA Freshman of the Year paces the Herd with a season average of 73.96. Joining Brand will be Schambach, senior Jonathan Pepe, junior Nathan Kinker, sophomore Josh Boswell and freshman Bennett Boyer.

Virginia Tech claimed the team title at last year's Furman Intercollegiate with a score of 873. The list of past individual winners at the Furman Intercollegiate includes Curtis Strange, Jay Haas, Mark Calcavecchia, Brad Faxon, Billy Andrade, David Duval and Matt Kuchar. Elon's Jayson Judy captured individual medalist honors in 2007 with a score of 211 (71-71-69).

The Furman Intercollegiate field includes Appalachian State, Charleston Southern, UT-Chattanooga, Clemson, Davidson, East Carolina, Elon, Francis Marion, Furman, Marshall, North Florida, Ohio State, Old Dominion, Presbyterian, Rhode Island, Samford, South Carolina, UNC Wilmington, USC Aiken, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, Western Carolina, Winthrop and Wofford.