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Bay City, Mich. -- Ferris State University junior Kurt Valley was named the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC)Men's Golf Athlete of the Week for his performance at the Northern Michigan Invitational last weekend.
GLIAC Men's Golf Athlete of the Week
Kurt Valley - Ferris State University
(Jr, Bay City, Mich./Western)
FSU junior Kurt Valley was runner up for medalist honors at the 2008 Northern Michigan Invitational this last weekend (Sept. 6-7) with a three-round five-under par 208-stroke total on the Marquette Country Club course in Marquette, Mich. Valley posted rounds of 69, 72, and 67 to help lead Ferris State to a fifth-place performance with an 875 team score in the Bulldogs' 2008 fall season opening tournament. Valley, a 2007-08 All-GLIAC Honorable Mention selection, finished three strokes behind medalist Justin Hueber of Indianapolis. Hueber registered an eight-under par 205 score in the 54-hole event.
--GLIAC Men's Golf Weekly Notes--
Ashland - The Ashland University men's golf team opened its season last weekend (Sept. 6-7) by placing eighth out of 13 teams at the Northern Michigan Invitational... AU put together a team score of 884. Grand Valley State finished first with a team score of 847. Indianapolis shot 858 to finish as the runnerup. Wayne State carded a score of 871 to finish third... Justin Hueber of Indianapolis shot -8 (205) to win medalist honors. Kurt Valley of Ferris State shot -5 (208) and finished second. Ashland's top score was turned in by John Furlong, who finished tied for 25th. He shot +8 (222).
Ferris State - Ferris State registered a fifth-place showing at the 2008 Northern Michigan Invitational last weekend (9/6-7) with a three-round 875-stroke total at the Marquette Country Club in Marquette, Mich. The Bulldogs posted rounds of 293, 283, and 299 en route to finishing two strokes behind fourth-place Findlay in the season-opening tournament... Junior Kurt Valley (Bay City/Western) was runner up for medalist honors as a result of carding a five-under par 208 score (69-72-67=208) to place three strokes in back of the tourney medalist. Senior Derek Shelburne (Scotts/Vicksburg) posted a 19th-place tying 220-stroke total (74-72-74=220) while sophomore Joe Brown (St. Ignace/LaSalle) tied for 25th place following a 222 score (75-68-79=222)... Ferris State returns to the links Sept. 15-16 to compete in the Indianapolis Invitational at the Heartland Crossing Golf Club in Camby, Ind.
Findlay - The Oilers placed fourth at the Northern Michigan University Invitational on Sunday, September 7 at the Greywalls Golf Course in Marquette, Michigan. The Oilers shot an 873 (289, 287, 297) during the three rounds to claim fourth as Grand Valley State University won the event with an 847 (283, 283, 282). The Oilers second round score of 287 tied the school record which was set at the Northwood University Invitational in 2000. Their final total of 873 also set a school record, eclipsing the 889 they posted after winning the 2007 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Championship last season. Sophomore Joe McGeean led the way by taking third with a school record breaking score of 209. McGeean shot a four under 67 in the opening round and then carded even par 71's for his final two rounds to end up with his total. Sophomore Kyle Nickson also played well for Findlay, tying for 14th with a 216. Nickson shot a 72 in the opening round and then followed it up with 67 in the second before ending the event with a 77 on Sunday. McGeean and Nickson both fired 67's during the event which is tied for the lowest score in school history.
Grand Valley State - Grand Valley State opened the 2008-09 season in fine fashion at the Northern Michigan Invitational with a first-place finish. GVSU shot a -5 847 at the Marquette Golf Club-Grey Walls to claim top honors. The Lakers opened with a -1 283, followed by back-to-back rounds of -2 282. Indianapolis finished second, 11 shots behind the Lakers (858). GVSU has now won the NMU Invite twice in the last three years and the Laker have claimed 12 tournament titles in the last three years. GVSU will return to action Sept. 15 and 16 at the Indianapolis Invitational... Matt Malloure (Farmington Hills, Mich./Brother Rice) and Tyler Hering (Muskegon, Mich.) both carded 54-hole scores of -3 210 and finished tied for fourth. Josh Burt (Holt, Mich.) finished tied for eighth wit a -2 (211), while Matt Johnson (Haslett, Mich.) carded a +6 219 to finish tied for 17th. Ben Brooks (Cedar Springs, Mich.) rounded out the Laker lineup with a +7 220.
Northern Michigan - Northern Michigan University hosted the NMU Invitational over the weekend...The Wildcats shot a 947 for the three rounds. Tim Hartung, from the NMU hockey team, led the ‘Cats with a 236 (82-71-83)...Steve Pope was two strokes back at 238 (80-78-80)...The team will be back in action at the NCAA II Regional Sept. 21-22.
Northwood - The Northwood University men's golf team opened its 2008-09 season by finishing ninth at the NMU Invitational Sunday afternoon (September 7)... The event was held at the Marquette Golf Club on its two courses - the first and third rounds were held at Greywalls, while the second round was Heritage. Both courses played as par-71's... The Timberwolves shot rounds of 301-289 and 299 to finish at 889 overall. Grand Valley State was the overall winner at 847 (283-282-282), followed by Indianapolis at 858 (292-282-284)... Freshman Nick Prokop (Novi, Mich.) led the way for the Timberwolves, carding a one-over par total of 214 (74-69-71) to finish 11th overall. Luigi Spadafora (Milford, Mich.) tied for 12th overall with a total of 215 (76-67-72)... Northwood returns to action September 14 at Indianapolis.
Saginaw Valley State - The SVSU men's golf team opened its 2008-09 season by finishing in a tie for ninth at the NMU Invitational Sunday afternoon (Sept.7)... The Cardinals shot rounds of 302, 293, and 294 for a 889 total (+37)...SVSU top finisher was freshman Nate Kelly (Suttons Bay, Mich.) who carded rounds of 70, 72, and 70 for a one-under-par score of 212.
Tiffin - Tiffin University's men's golf team traveled to the Northern Michigan Invitational Sept. 6-7, with the Dragons finishing 11th of 13 teams. The Dragons shot a 905 (306-289-308), with Bleu George leading the way with a 77-71-74-222. Andy Kronander shot a 227 and Jason Crow was next on the squad with a 229. Justin Sparks (232) and Matt Cherry (235) rounded out the Dragons field. TU now travels to Indianapolis for their next invite on Sept. 15-16.
Wayne State - Opening the 2008-09 season, the Wayne State golf team finished in third place at the Northern Michigan Invitational last weekend ... Wayne State posted scores of 286 and 288 on Saturday, as the teams played 18 holes at Greywalls and 18 at Heritage ... the Warriors shot 297 at Greywalls on Sunday for a combined score of 871, 24 strokes off the pace set by Grand Valley State ... Joe Juszczyk (Dearborn Heights, Mich./Divine Child), who was leading the event through the first 36 holes, and newcomer Steve Cuzzort (Grosse Ile, Mich.) each carded a three-under par 210 to tie for fourth place ... Michael Wouters (Sterling Hts., Mich./Henry Ford II) shot 224 and finished 31st, Chad Johnson (Plymouth, Mich./Canton) placed in a tie for 42nd with 228 in his WSU debut, and rookie Hagan Risner (Garden City, Mich.) finished 50th with 234 ... Wayne State will host the Motor City Invitational this Sunday and Monday at Pheasant Run in Canton, Mich.