Nov. 6, 2005

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Villanova registered a team score of 298 on Sunday in the final round of the Big East/MAC Challenge and finished in eighth place out of 11 teams with a 54-hole total of 885. The two-day tournament was held at the Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge and featured seven Big East schools and four Mid American Conference teams at the par-72, 7,177-yard course.

The Wildcats opened the tournament with a round of 290 on the first 18 holes Saturday morning and followed that with a 297 in the afternoon round. Villanova finished fourth among the seven Big East teams in the tournament, beating out DePaul, Cincinnati and Connecticut.

Big East newcomers Marquette and University of South Florida finished first and second in the team standings, respectively. Marquette shot 276 in Sunday's round to move up from second place and win the team title by 11 strokes over the Bulls with a two-day total of 852.

Individually for Villanova, junior Steve Arnold (Langhorne, Pa.) finished in a tie for 12th place among the field of 60 golfers. Arnold carded a 77 (+5) on Sunday to finish at two-over 218 for the tournament. The transfer from East Tennessee State opened the weekend with a 67 on Saturday and also shot a 74 in the second round.

Freshman Andrew Alexander (Rochester, Minn.) was second on the team and tied for 32nd place overall with a final score of 224 (+8). Alexander posted a 79 on Sunday after checking in with scores of 71 and 74 on Saturday. Classmate Doug Stadler (Wexford, Pa.) placed 36th in the field and was one stroke behind Alexander with a 225.

Stadler produced a round of 71 (-1) on Sunday and matched senior Colin Mahon (Rhinebeck, N.Y.) for the low team score on the second day of the tournament. Mahon finished in a tie for 44th place with a total score of 228. Senior captain Jonathan Hewett (Sioux Falls, S.D.) rounded out the Wildcat scores and finished in 53rd place. He recorded an 82 on Sunday after starting the tournament with a 72 and 78 on Saturday.

Mark Cimarolli of Ohio University captured individual medalist honors by three strokes over Keegan Bradley of St. John's. Cimarolli had scores of 75-65-67 to finish at nine-under-par 207 over the 54 holes.

The first-ever challenge between the two conferences concluded the fall season for Villanova, which will now await the beginning of the spring schedule in early March.

NOTES: The Wildcats played six tournaments during the fall season and take a 292.88 stroke average into the winter ... Villanova is well ahead of the pace it set last season, when the squad had a 302.75 stroke average in five fall tournaments ... The five golfers who competed in this weekend's tournament each played in all 16 team rounds during the fall ... Arnold led the team with a 72.81 stroke average, while Alexander trails him with a 73.44 mark ... The top four stroke averages on the team are accounted for by newcomers to the 13-man roster ... The rounds of one-under-par 71 recorded by Stadler and Mahon on Sunday were the 12th and 13th rounds under par posted by Villanova golfers this season ... The Wildcats competed against eight other Big East teams during the fall season ... In head-to-head competition, Villanova trails Marquette, USF, Rutgers and St. John's ... The Wildcats own an advantage over Cincinnati, Connecticut, DePaul and Seton Hall.