April 27, 2003

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - Pete Phipps and Kevin Lee placed in the Top 10 as the Army golf team finished third at the Patriot League Championships at the Saucon Valley Country Club in Center Valley, Pa., Sunday.

Phipps, Army's leader heading into the final day, shot matching 75s in the second and third rounds. The sophomore carded a two-over-par 74 in the opening 18-holes to finish in fourth place.

Senior captain Kevin Lee, who finished tied for first place at the 2002 league championship with teammate Scott Manley and Navy's Billy Hurley, tied for sixth place. Lee shot a par 72 his first time out, a 78 in the second round before finishing his final round in the "Black, Gray and Gold" carding a 77. Lee's 72 was the best round carded by an Army player this weekend.

Manley, the reigning Patriot League "Player of the Year," took 19th place with 236 strokes following 54-holes. Matt Stanchina (T-22nd), D.J. Reeves (T-22nd) and Austin Luher (T-34th) round out the Army contingent.

"We are a good team but not a championship team yet," said head coach Jimmy Ray Clevenger. "We played ok this weekend but we are young a team."

Navy (878) who won the Patriot League Championship by 31 strokes received the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. Lehigh, who was tied with Army for second place coming into the final day, finished runner-up with 909 strokes. Army took third place at 916 strokes followed by Lafayette, Bucknell, American, Colgate and Holy Cross. Navy's Brian Crum was the medallist with a four-under-par 212.

Army won last year's Patriot League Championship by 29 strokes and represented the league at the 2002 Central Regional. The Black Knights finished 26th in their first NCAA appearance in seven years. Army has advanced to postseason play seven times since 1989.

The Black Knights return to action on Monday, April 28 at the Montclair University Invite. The invitational begins at 11 a.m.

TEAM STANDINGS		        	ARMY INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS
1. Navy   	   297  290  291  878	4.    Pete Phipps	74  75  75  224
2. Lehigh	   307  298  304  909	T-6.  Kevin Lee	        72  78  77  227
3. Army   	   304  307  305  916	19.   Scott Manley	77  84  75  236
4. Lafayette	   315  305  303  923	T-22. Matt Stanchina	81  79  78  238
5. Bucknell	   319  310  309  938	T-22. D.J. Reeves	82  75  81  238
6. American	   311  317  313  941	T-34. Austin Luher	82  87  80  249
7. Colgate	   336  314  329  979
8. Holy Cross	   341  336  330 1007