May 16, 2002

WEST POINT, N.Y. - The Army golf team has been waiting for this moment for seven years as it readies to head back to the NCAA Regional for the first time since 1995. The Black Knights begin play at the Central Regional on Thursday, May 16 at the Pleasant Valley Golf Course in Little Rock, Ark.

The three day, 54-hole tournament is a first for all five Army golfers. The Black Knights earned the Patriot League's automatic bid to the regional when they won the league tournament by a startling 29 strokes on April 21. Featuring talent and depth, Army's conference performance demonstrated what can happen when all five golfers play their top game.

The Black Knights had a very successful fall and spring season. They won both the West Point/Habecker Invitational and the Patriot League Championship. In both tournaments, Army saw one of its own take home the top honor. Captain Ryan Hazelton won the West Point/Habecker Invitational and freshman Scott Manley won the 2002 league championship and was later crowned Patriot League "Player of the Year."

Army's top five golfers will travel to the NCAA Regional. To demonstrate how deep the Black Knight squad is, each golfer has led the team at some point as the top shooter during the spring season. Each week a different Black Knight stepped up to help his teammate who may be having a bad round.

Coming together at the Patriot League Tournament, Army placed five golfers in the top 10 and all were honored with selections to the all-league team. Joining Manley, the Patriot League "Player of the Year," on the league squad were Kevin Lee, Peter Mangold, Hazelton and David Crawford. The Black Knights shot four scores in the sixties and finished an impressive 29 strokes ahead of the closest competitor, arch rival Navy.

The Black Knights take the same approach to every tournament and will do the same this week as they prepare to go for college golf's highest honor.

"We are going to do what we have done all year. We are going to take it hole by hole, round by round and not get wrapped up in all the hoopla," says head coach Jimmy Ray Clevenger. "I want them to enjoy the experience, but sometimes you can get too wrapped up in everything going on around you, and not focus on the task at hand."

Clevenger, who has been to the NCAA Regionals not only as a coach but as a player, wants the team to have fun, and play its best round of golf. To advance to the NCAA Championship, Army has to shoot one of the top 10 54-hole scores. Also advancing will be the top two individual golfers not on those 10 teams.

Joining Army in Little Rock will be eight nationally ranked teams and four teams receiving votes according to the latest Golf Coaches Association of America Coaches Poll. Knowing how hard it will be to advance to the final weekend, Clevenger hopes his team will shoot in the 290s each day, setting an Academy record for the best showing at the regionals.

"No Army team has shot below 300 at the NCAA Regional. The team has been setting records all year that would finalize what makes this team different from past ones," says Clevenger

"It is going to be really tough qualify in the Top 10. Each regional has 27 teams and, at each, 17 teams will be going home. We will have to shoot under par each day. Our goal for the team is to shoot as close to 290 as possible. There are circumstances were weather and other things can be a factor and 290 would be a really good score. We are definitely capable of producing that but we are going to go out and try to play the best golf that we can and see where it puts us. If it is not good enough, we will close a chapter on a really good season," continues Clevenger.

The Black Knight will tee off for first-round play at 8:57 EDT. on Thursday.