Three Husker Golfers Earn Degrees

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Lincoln ? Three members of the Nebraska men’s golf team joined one of the most talented and diverse groups of student-athlete graduates in Nebraska history who received their diplomas during spring commencement ceremonies on Saturday at the BobDevaneySportsCenter. <?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

Spring graduates from NU Coach Bill Spangler’s men’s golf program included Gross Pointe Shores, Mich. native Ryan Lenahan, Omaha, Neb. native Judd Cornell, and Lee's Summit, Mo., native Drew Reynolds.

Sociology major Cornell completed his final season of eligibility in the spring of 2006. A regular in the Nebraska lineup since the start of his Nebraska career, Cornell’s sound play was earmarked by his dependability in hitting on greens in regulation, where he led the team. In the fall of 2005, then-senior Cornell posted 13 rounds under 75 en route to a second-place spot in the Husker lineup with a 73.44 season stroke average through six tournaments. Cornell’s fall performance reinforced his reliable game for the Huskers three top-25 finishes, including a third-place finish at the Fairway Club Invitational in the fall. Cornell’s best scores of 213 came in the Fairway Club Invitational and the Sam Hall Invitational, where he placed 13th. He placed in the top 30 twice more and fired his low round of 68 at the Xavier Invitational.

Cornell shot his season-low round of 68 at both the Xavier Invitational in the fall and the Wyoming Cowboy Classic in the spring. Cornell’s spring 2006 season included five top-25 finishes, highlighted by a fourth-place finish at the Branson Creek Invitational. Cornell capped his Nebraska career with a strong senior season and a 73.46 stroke average through 39 rounds, bringing his final career stroke average down to 74.95.

Sociology major Lenahan has continued to improve throughout his college career, posting a fall stroke average of 76.92 through 13 rounds, bringing his career stroke average down to 77.61 entering this spring. Lenahan also posted three top-50 finishes while securing three rounds at or under 73 during the fall, making appearances at all five fall tournaments. Entering regionals, Lenahan had a 76.56 stroke average through 34 rounds, with his low round of 71 shot at the Wichita State Invitational.

Communications studies major Reynolds has been a regular in the Nebraska lineup for three years has capitalized on his senior season as the longest tenured veteran on a team with four seniors. Reynolds’ consistency as one of the most skilled ball strikers has allowed the senior to be a steadying force at the top of the Husker lineup. In the fall, Reynolds posted two top-15 finishes and three rounds at or under par. Reynolds enters regionals with a 76.47 stroke average through 34 rounds, including a low round of 67 shot at the Ron Moore Invitational.

The Huskers’ 53-member graduating class consisted of student-athletes from 20 U.S. states and five foreign countries, including Austria, Canada, Colombia, Poland and Serbia. All 23 of Nebraska’s varsity sports were represented by at least one student-athlete in the graduating class, while the Huskers graduated with nearly 30 different majors in their fields of study. While the class is strikingly diverse, 16 native Nebraskans made up nearly a third of the class, including one from the men’s golf team.

The spring graduating class of 53 is added to the December class of 31 graduates to bring the total number of Husker student-athletes graduating during the 2006-07 academic year to 84 before summer commencement exercises in August. Nebraska continues to feature one of the highest graduation rates in the nation with an exhausted eligibility graduation rate of 94 percent.