April 26, 2009

DADE CITY, Fla. - Sophomore Brendan Kelly (Annapolis, Md.) tied for 19th place individually and Villanova moved up one spot to 10th place in the team standings on the final day of the BIG EAST Championship this past Monday at Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club. The Wildcats posted their best team score of the tournament in the final round to finish ahead of both Cincinnati and Connecticut.

Villanova posted a composite team score of just six over par on Monday to finish at 294 for the day. Three of the team's four counting scores in the round were within a stroke of par and the team score was the seventh best round of the day in the 12-team field.

Kelly carded scores of 75-73-73=221 (+5) to post his fifth top-20 finish of the season. Sophomore Conor Casey (Madison, N.J.) and senior Doug Stadler (Wexford, Pa.) tied for the team lead on Monday with scores of even-par 72 and finished tied for 30th and tied for 43rd overall. Casey went for scores of 78-74-72=224 (+8) for the tournament and Stadler came in at 80-77-72=229 (+13). He was joined in a tie for 43rd place by senior Brett Bergman (Pittsburgh, Pa.), who registered rounds of 79-72-78.

Rounding out the Villanova scoring was sophomore Colin List (Boynton Beach, Fla.) in 57th place with marks of 82-84-77=243 (+27).

Louisville and Marquette were the only teams to shoot below par for the tournament at the 7,031-yard course in Dade City. The Cardinals won the team title by five strokes over the Golden Eagles and had Adam Hadwin post a finial score of 207 (-9) to win individual medalist honors by three strokes over the rest of the field.

The Wildcats conclude their 2008-09 season next weekend at the Cavalier Classic, hosted by the University of Virginia.