Red Storm Mens Golf Seeded Fourth at 2003 BIG EAST Championships<br> <i>Svoboda Seeks Second Career Individual Title</i>

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Red Storm Mens Golf Seeded Fourth at 2003 BIG EAST Championships
Svoboda Seeks Second Career Individual Title


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Jamaica, N.Y.The St. Johns mens golf team was selected as the No. 4 seed for the 2003 BIG EAST Championship, to be played at Warren Golf Course in Notre Dame, Ind. on April 21-22. Defending Champion Virginia Tech claimed the No. 1 seed, followed by Notre Dame and Georgetown. Rutgers and Seton Hall round out the field of six teams selected to play.

The Red Storm are looking to win a BIG EAST record 10th team title and the programs first since 1989. St. Johns has been knocking on the door recently, posting two runner-up finishes and one third place finish in the past four years.

Individually, St. Johns senior Andrew Svoboda (Stamford, Conn.) may be the golfer to beat in what is listed as a very strong field. Svoboda, who won the BIG EAST individual title in 2001, has had the greatest season in St. Johns history in 2002-03. He has won individual medallist honors in seven out 10 events and leads the Red Storm in ever major statistical category, including: stroke average (71.50), average strokes off-the-lead (1.7), percentage of rounds counted (100%), top-5 (7), top-10 (9), and top-20 (9) finishes.

Svoboda is finishing a career at St. Johns that is matched by no other ball striker in Red Storm history. He has won a program record 14 individual titles, is a three time All-BIG EAST selection, three-time All-District II selection, three-time BIG EAST Academic All-Star, two-time U.S. Amateur qualifier, and four -time defending club champion at Winged Foot.

Juniors Kyle Sleasman (Loudonville, N.Y.) and John DeForest (Cottekill, N.Y.) bring depth and experience to a well-balanced team. DeForest, the 2001 James Madison Invitational Champion, has played an integral part in the Red Storms two consecutive NCAA appearances. Sleasman, a transfer from Scottsdale C.C., has fit into the Red Storm rotation nicely and is still in search of his first tournament win.

Sophomore Ian Middleton (British Columbia, Canada) and freshman Tom Travalja (Oradell, N.J.) will make their first career postseason appearances at the BIG EAST Championships.