Huskers Face Key District Foes in San Antonio

The Husker men's golf team is set for a key tournament next week in San Antonio, as Nebraska looks to improve its Central District position early in the spring season. The Huskers are one of 18 teams in the field for the UTSA Intercollegiate, a 54-hole tournament scheduled for Monday at Tuesday at Oak Hills Country Club in San Antonio.

The UTSA Intercollegiate field is one of the more challenging groups Nebraska has faced during its 2004-05 campaign. Among the 18 teams, seven are ranked in the top 100 nationally, according to GolfWeek. The field is led by Nebraska's Big 12 Conference rival Kansas who checks in at 46th. Other top-100 teams in the field include Wichita State (60), Baylor (65), Stephen F. Austin (81), Missouri (87), New Mexico State (93) and Louisiana-Monroe (100). The Huskers are 116th in the most recent team rankings.

The UTSA Intercollegiate also includes seven teams from the Central District, giving Nebraska a key opportunity to gain ground as it battles for an NCAA Regional berth. The Huskers are currently 11th in the district, with the top seven teams qualifying for NCAA competition. Kansas is third in the Central District, with Wichita State (6th) and Missouri (8th) also in front of the Huskers.

The UTSA Intercollegiate will be played at Oak Hills Country Club, regarded as one of the top courses in the state of Texas. Oak Hills has played host to 24 PGA Tour events, and was the host of the Texas Open for many years.

Action on the par-71, 6,691-yard layout will begin with 36 holes on Monday, with the final 18 holes set for Tuesday morning.

Nebraska Coach Bill Spangler will take a lineup of one junior, three sophomores and a freshman to Texas. Sophomore Brady Schnell will compete in the number one position after a strong showing at the Rice Intercollegiate earlier this month. Less than four months removed from major knee surgery, Schnell finished two rounds of play with an even-par 144 total, good for a tie for fourth place, the best finish of his Nebraska career. Schnell will be joined in the lineup by fellow sophomores Ryan Lenahan and Drew Reynolds, junior Judd Cornell and freshman Chris Bruening.

Huskers Open Spring With Fifth-Place Finish at Rice
Nebraska opened its spring season with a fifth-place showing in the 15-team field at the Rice Intercollegiate on Feb. 7 and 8. The event was shortened to 36 holes because of rain in the Houston area. Nebraska completed two rounds of play with a 594 team total, 10 shots behind tournament champion North Texas.

Individually, Schnell was Nebraska's top finisher while competing as an individual in the tournament. Schnell's even-par 144 total was good for a tie for fourth place. Lenahan (10th) and Bruening (19th) also posted top-20 finishes for the Huskers.

Next Up
Nebraska will take a week off following the UTSA Intercollegiate, before resuming its spring slate at the Pioneer Classic in Phoenix, Ariz., on March 15 and 16. As part of its Spring Break trip, Nebraska will also take part in the CU-Stevinson Ranch Invitational on March 22 and 23.