Nov. 16, 2011

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COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland men's golf team completed its fall schedule at the ODU/OBX Collegiate Invitational on Oct. 25 and tied for eighth marking its fifth top-10 finish in five events. While the results may not seem extraordinary, the Terps made significant positive strides in their 2011 fall campaign.

The Terps climbed 19 spots in Golfweek's team rankings from the close of the 2010-11 season. Maryland is currently ranked 99th after finishing the spring ranked 118th, and the Terrapins lowered two major scoring averages to their lowest levels in several years.

"I thought the guys played very well at times," said Director of Intercollegiate Golf Jason Rodenhaver. "We had a good three tournament stretch in October, but slipped up a bit at Old Dominion. The guys have all bought into the new system and the results show their dedication and hard work have paid off. Hopefully we can be more consistent in our play this spring and get ourselves in a position to qualify for a [NCAA] regional bid."

Maryland finished the fall with a 289.4 18-hole scoring average which is its best scoring average since the 2008-09 season, and the 54-hole team scoring average decreased by approximately six strokes from last fall.

Individually, four Terps currently reside in the ACC's top-15 in scoring led by freshman Jordan Sweet. Sweet is tied for sixth in the conference with a 72.33 18-hole average, and for freshmen, trails only Georgia Tech's Anders Albertson (71.67).

Senior Joey Rice is 10th in the ACC in scoring. The Bowie, Md., native is averaging 72.87 per 18 holes, and has lowered his average by approximately four strokes since his freshman year. In addition, Rice had nine rounds of play at or below par this fall, which is the most in his career.

Sophomore Sean Bosdosh completed the fall with two top-20 finishes and one top-10 finish. Bosdosh is 11th in the ACC in scoring with a 73.07 average. Compared to his freshman campaign, Bosdosh has dropped his scoring average a little more than a stoke per round, and tallied seven rounds of play at or below par in the fall, two more than last season.

Ranked 13th in conference scoring, senior Sean Brannan decreased his scoring average by 3.9 strokes from his sophomore season (2009-10). Brannan excelled in the last two fall events. He earned a top-15 finish with a 4-over 220 at The Invitational at the Kiawah Island-Ocean Course, and was the Terps' low scorer at the ODU/OBX Collegiate Invitational with a 3-over 219.

The Terps opened the fall season by hosting the Maryland Intercollegiate at River Marsh Golf Club in Cambridge, Md. Maryland finished sixth, but posted a score of 855, the lowest 54-hole score since the team carded an 843 at the Xavier Invitational on Oct. 3, 2006.

Two weeks later, Maryland traveled to the VCU Shootout at Hermitage Country Club in Manakin-Sabot, Va. Bosdosh fired a 2-under 214 to lead the Terps. Maryland finished 10th with an 865.

Following the VCU Shootout, the Terrapins traveled to Akron, Ohio, site of the Firestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club. Maryland carded an 867, seven strokes lower than the team's 2010 total, to finish sixth for its second top-10 finish of the season.

One week later at The Invitational at the Kiawah Island-Ocean Course in Kiawah Island, S.C., Rice finished sixth, a career high, and Maryland earned a fourth-place spot on the leaderboard. The Terps finished the event with a 7-over 871, which was 44 strokes lower than their score at the 2010 event.

At the end of October, Maryland completed its season at the ODU/OBX Collegiate Invitational. Brannan led the Terps with a 3-over 219.

Maryland opens its spring schedule on Monday, March 5, 2012, at the Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate hosted by the University of South Carolina Aiken at the Cougar Point Golf Club in Kiawah Island, S.C.