Grand Valley State Women Ranked #8

NCAA Women's: Division II Teams 
Division I - Division III
                                   Adjusted   Avg.            Rank 
                        Division   Scoring   Drop   Versus#   of  
   Team                  *Record   Average  Score   Top 25   Sced  Wins@
  1 Rollins College       102-  0    75.96   80.02    13- 0   185     3
 2 Nova Southeastern U.  101-  1    76.15   80.84    12- 1   201     1
 3 Tarleton State        100-  2    77.93   83.31    13- 0   327     8
 4 Florida Southern       99-  3    75.35   81.31    11- 2   222     4
 5 Barry University       98-  4    76.83   81.81    11- 4   209     1
 6 Lynn University        97-  5    78.47   86.01     9- 4   205     1
 7 Ferris State Univ.     96-  6    77.74   83.59     7- 5   242     3
 8 Grand Valley State     95-  7    77.33   82.54     4- 1   217     3
 9 Northeastern State U   93-  9    80.96   88.37    11- 3   265     0
10 Upper Iowa Univ.       92- 10    80.27   89.43     5- 3   306     3 

Detroit sweeps athlete of the week honors as Dupuis and Sommerfeld lead Titans to strong start

Men's Athlete of the Week
Mark Sommerfeld, Detroit
Waterloo, Ontario * Senior
Sommerfeld led the Titans to the team championship of last week's Fort Lauderdale Spring Classic at Grande Oaks Golf Club. He finished third individually with a pair of sub-par rounds on his 68-70--138 score card, two strokes off the winning pace. Sommerfeld has now posted 24 sub-par rounds during his college career.

Women's Athlete of the Week
Mandi Dupuis, Detroit
Tecumseh, Ontario * Senior
Dupuis posted top-10 finishes in both of the Titans outings last week. She finished in the top-10 at the GVSU Invitational with a total score of 153 (77-76). Dupuis then helped lead UDM to its first-ever win over Butler as the senior finished in a tie for seventh (78-77--155) at the North-South Invitational in Jacksonville, Fla. The Titans also competed in a Ryder Cup-style meet against Oakland (Mar. 1) in Naples, Fla., and Dupuis won her match to net three points for UDM.

Gull Lake View Recognized for Role in Junior Development

The junior golf program at Gull Lake View Golf Club & Resort in southwest Michigan is not a major revenue source for the family-owned facility. But that doesn't seem to bother anyone at a resort that's long been a favorite among golfers in the Midwest, Great Lakes and Canada.

"It's probably a breakeven for us," Ashleigh Kosin, Gull Lake View's director of marketing, said of the five-year-old program that targets juniors 7 to 13. "But it's the long-term investment in golf that we're going after."

The Gull Lake View junior program, which won the National Golf Course Owners Association's 2008 Player Development Award, includes three weeks of instruction (two hours per week) led by Bill Johnson, head professional at the resort's Stonehedge course. The program ends with a tournament that gives many of the young players their first taste of competition.

But in many ways, the instruction and the tournament are just the beginning for many of the program's participants. "We encourage them to see this as more than a month of golf lessons," said Kosin, who was introduced to the game as a junior at Gull Lake View. "We want this to be the start of a lifetime in golf."

Gull Lake View extends the program's reach by giving participants a card that entitles them and a family member or friend to playing privileges at a reduced price on weekdays. "Our first goal is to get the kids hooked, and then we just want to keep them coming back," says Kosin.

Kate Moore, executive director of the Michigan Golf Course Owners Association, won the NGCOA's Champion Award, which recognizes a member whose work has benefited fellow owners and operators. Moore led a lobbying effort that successfully thwarted the state's plans to levy a 6 percent sales tax on Michigan courses. "We argued that golf is Michigan's No. 1 form of leisure and tourism business and brought in millions of dollars in revenue to the state. We felt it wasn't fair to tax golf courses on top of the taxes they were already paying," Moore said.

The Association's Paul Porter Award, given to a person who leaves an enduring mark on a chapter or international affiliate through the highest levels of commitment, service and leadership, went to Raymon Finch Jr. Finch, who died in February, built and owned golf courses in Florida and South Carolina and was a longtime supporter of the NGCOA and amateur golf. He helped the NGCOA take on the IRS over an owner's right to depreciate greens, tees and bunkers. Finch founded the Florida Golf Council, which helped defeat several state tax initiatives aimed at the golf industry. He also helped establish the "Hook-A-Kid on Golf" program and an Executive Women's Golf chapter in south Florida.

Michigan Hall of Fame Greets New Group

A full spectrum of golf in Michigan will be honored May 18 at Indianwood Golf & Country Club in Lake Orion when Ken Janke, Meriam Bailey Leeke and John Morgan will be inducted into the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame. The Buick Open will also be given a special award as it celebrates its 50th anniversary as the state's long-running PGA Tour event.

Janke and Leeke have had multi-faceted careers. The self-taught Morgan compiled a strong playing record which led to his being named Golf Association of Michigan's Player of the Decade for the 1980s, a period in which he won the Michigan Amateur, won three GAM Championships and two of his three Michigan Mid-Amateur Championships. Morgan qualified and played in three United States Amateur Championships and four Mid-Amateurs. Playing first as a member of the Michigan Publinx Golf Association and making its Honor Roll in 1981 and '82, Morgan made the GAM Honor Roll 11 times in a span of 1983-95 during which he was an Oakland Hills member and now at Detroit Golf Club.

"I joke that I got my competitive nature from my Dad but not his golf swing," said the 6-foot-1 Morgan, whose golf swing has the easy grace of Tom Weiskopf. Morgan thought he was headed for a Division II school in Pennsylvania after two years at Oakland Community College on a team that went to the national finals but five hours at the Michigan Amateur changed that. "I was on the range and hitting next to Jim Lipe who was the Assistant Coach at the University of Michigan. I'd lost to Bud Stevens in 19 holes and Lipe said, 'We want you at Michigan.' "

Leeke is also a Big Ten product but when she played at Northwestern University, women's golf wasn't recognized as a varsity sport. She was inducted into the Northwestern Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992, although the school didn't hand out varsity letters to all the past women athletes until a special ceremony at halftime of a football game in 2002.

Leeke's father, who played football at Illinois with Red Grange, introduced her to golf and she broke 80 by the time she was 12. She began playing national events at 13, played high school golf in Evanston and in 1956 won the Chicago District Golf Association Match and Stroke Play titles and the Illinois Women's Amateur. In 1957 she won the National Intercollegiate and the Women's Western Amateur and in 1958 was named to the U.S. Curtis Cup team.

Although she played in a number of women's professional tournaments, the purses averaged only $2,000 and Leeke decided against turning pro. She and her husband, Lyle, took over the family course, Old Channel Trail in Montague (MI) in 1966. It was a nine-hole course by Robert Bruce Harris on 90 acres, and in the years since, nine holes designed by W. Bruce Matthews and nine more by his son, Jerry, were added. Meriam has been on boards of banks, charities, two colleges and currently is director and treasurer of the National Golf Course Owners Association.

Janke got an early start in golf, caddying at Plum Hollow Golf Club when he was nine years old. While always a strong player - he captained his Dearborn High School team for two years of unbeaten match play events and won the 1957 U.S. Army Military Championship in Chantilly, France, Janke is better known for his contributions to the game.

Establishing the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame was Janke's idea in 1982. He also was the father of major charity golf events beginning in 1967 when he and former Detroit Lions All-Pro Ron Kramer founded the Walter Hagen Invitational to benefit the American Cancer Society. That led to similar tournaments around the country and Janke was awarded the Cancer Society's Founder's Award.

Janke also has organized the Babe Zaharias Invitational, March of Dimes, Tournament, St. Jude Invitational tournaments and B'nai Brith Championship. In 1979 he was instrumental in founding the Detroit Lions Alumni Golf Outing to benefit the NFL Alumni Dire Need Fund and the format has spread to 28 cities. Janke also found time to compile a comprehensive collection of golf memorabilia and write four books on the game's quirks, laughs and facts.

Since its inception in 1958 with the then-unheard of purse of $52,000, with $9,000 of it going to the winner, Billy Casper, the Buick Open has brought big-time golf to Michigan. The game's greatest players have played in the Buick Open, including Casper, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Julius Boros, Ben Crenshaw, Hale Irwin, Tom Weiskopf, Fred Couples, Vijay Singh, Jim Furyk and Tiger Woods.

Thanks to Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club in Grand Blanc, its members and the thousands of volunteers have made "Buick Open Week" one of summer's major events in Michigan, the tournament has raised $8.8 million for southeast Michigan charities.

When Buick introduced the tournament, it was the first major corporate sponsor of the PGA Tour and, while sponsors have come and gone in other tournaments, Buick and Michigan golf have enjoyed a long, fruitful relationship. In recognition of the Buick Open's great influence on the game in Michigan, the Michigan Golf Foundation will honor the tournament during the Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Indianwood.

Golf on the Old Course at Indianwood will be at 1:00 with the reception, dinner and induction ceremony immediately following golf. Tickets for golf, reception, dinner and induction ceremony are $175 or $50 without golf.

Fortin Claims Medalist Honors at Red Rocks Invitational

SEDONA, Ariz. – The Eastern Michigan University women's golf team carded a 315 in the final round of the Red Rocks Invitational to capture a two-stoke victory in the 15-team field here Sunday at par 72, 6,114 yard Oak Creek Country Club. The Eagles posted a score of 626 for the tournament (311-215). Western Michigan University finished second with a 628 (309-319) and host Northern Arizona University was third with a team total of 632 (314-318).

The tournament victory marks the 11th overall title in the program’s 14-year history and the third during the 2007-08 campaign. The win is also the program's seventh during head coach Sandy Wagner’s three-year tenure as coach.

EMU finished with three players in the tournament’s top 15, including senior Catherine Fortin (Beauceville, Canada-Polyvalente St. Francois) who captured medalist honors after firing a 150 (73-77). Her score is a personal best for a two round tournament, besting her previous low of 151 set earlier this season at the NIU Brickyard Invitational, Sept. 10-11, 2007.

Fortin's 36-hole total is also tied for the six lowest mark in program history. Overall, the first place finish is her third of her career and her first tournament win since last season at the Baja Invitational, Feb. 12-13, 2007. Additionally, it is her 15 career top 10 finish and the 28th career top 20 showing in 35 events.

Junior Stephany Fleet (Dewitt. Mich.-Dewitt) carded a 154 (76-78) to finish in sixth place out of 90 individuals. Fleet’s sixth place showing was her 12th top 10 finish in 26 career events. Freshman Darby Peters (Lake Orion, Mich.-Lake Orion) was the final Eagle to place in the top 15, finishing tied for 15th with a personal best total of 159 (80-79).

Junior Courtney Aili (Chelsea, Mich.-Chelsea) turned in a 165 (82-83) to tie for 34th place, while senior Paola Sanchez (Bogata, Colombia-Cedar Springs (Mich.) added a 54th place tie with a score of 169 (88-81).

Three Eagles were competing as an individual. Freshman Stephanie Bevington (Ossosso, Mich.-Owosso) finished in 58th place with a two-day mark of 170 (81-89). Redshirt freshman Melissa Spalding (Monore, Mich.-Monroe) shot at 172 (88-84) for a 62nd place tie and freshman Lina Pasquali (Kendallville, Ind.-East Noble) notched a 177 (83-94) to finish tied for 75th.

The Eagles look to continue their solid play at the Rio Verde Invitational Friday-Sunday, March 7-9, at Quail Run Golf Club in Rio Verde, Ariz.

Eastern Michigan Individual Results:
Pl. Player Scores
1. Catherine Fortin 73-77=150 +6
6. Stephany Fleet 76-78=154 +10
t15. Darby Peters 80-79=159 +15
t34. Courtney Aili 82-83=165 +21
t54. Paola Sanchez 88-81=169 +25
*t58. Stephanie Bevington 81-89=170 +26
*t62. Melissa Spaliding 88-84=172 +28
*t75. Lina Pasquali 83-94=177 +33
* - competing as an individual

Team Scores:
Pl. Team Scores
1. Eastern Michigan 311-315=626 +50
2. Western Michigan 309-319=628 +52
3. Northern Arizona 314-318=632 +56
4 Oral Roberts 314-319=633 +57
5 UC-Riverside 315-325=640 +64
6 Wyoming 323-320=643 +67
7 CSU-Northridge 328-327=655 +79
8 Northern Colorado 328-328=656 +80
9 Montana 331-326=657 +81
t10. Portland State 330-331=661 +85
t10. SC Upstate 330-331=661 +85
12. Montana State 331-344=675 +99
13. Utah Valley 346-336=682 +106
14. Southern Utah 343-343= 686 +110
15. Idaho State 357-366=723 +147

UDM Unveils New Wayne Wheeler Titan Golf Practice Center

Calihan Hall's latest addition was unveiled Thursday night with the official dedication of the Wayne Wheeler Titan Golf Practice Center.

Located in Calihan's lower level, the Wheeler Practice Center has been a welcomed addition for the UDM men's and women's golf teams this winter. Built exclusively to benefit the Detroit golf program, the center includes a putting/chipping green along with two hitting areas, allowing the Titans the opportunity to work on their games any time of the year. The Detroit golfers can also use the new JC Video system to analyze their swings as they get ready for their next tournament.

An avid golfer himself, Wheeler has become a great supporter of the Titan program, and his major donation helped make the new indoor practice center a reality. Wheeler is the founder and CEO of Data Consulting Group, which is the title sponsor of the annual UDM women's golf tournament.

"The University is blessed with a special group of friends and alumni who've been extremely generous and supportive of Titan Athletics over the years. Wayne Wheeler certainly fits into that classification with the way he has adopted our golf program," UDM athletic director Keri Gaither said. "The new Wayne Wheeler Golf Center has already become a great asset to our teams."

On hand for Thursday's reception in Wheeler's honor and the dedication were many of UDM's athletic staff, coaches and golfers along with their families, a number of former Titan golfers and other boosters.

"To have our own indoor practice facility on campus is really a tremendous advantage for our teams," UDM Director of Golf and men's coach Mark Engel said. "I don't think there've been many days all winter where the center hasn't been in use. The opportunity for us to practice inside if it's cold or there's bad weather, especially the short game, will really pay dividends."

"Wayne's generosity and friendship is overwhelming," women's golf coach Terri Anthony-Ryan added. "I think he remembered his beginnings as a golfer and what practice meant to the way he was able to improve his game, and he understood what this practice center would mean to our program. He has really become a great friend to our golfers."

Both Titan golf teams return to the course next week for the start of their spring seasons. The UDM men come off their fifth Horizon League Championship in nine years, while the women look to build on their conference runner-up finish in 2007.