For Immediate Release: May 10, 2002
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Director of Athletic Media Relations (956) 381-2240

UTPA 1st, 2ND AFTER FIRST DAY AT NATIONAL MINORITY CHAMPIONSHIPS 

PORT ST. LUCIE, FL –The University of Texas-Pan American’s women’s golf team is tied for first place, while the men’s golf team is in second place after the first day of action at the 16th Annual National Minority College Golf Championships, at the Professional Golfers Association Club’s North Course.

The Lady Broncs are tied with the defending champion and only other team in the women’s field, Bethune-Cookman, after each team shot an 18-hole score of 323 for the first day. The Broncs’ score of 297 placed them second in the eight-team men’s Division I field, six shots behind the leader, Florida A&M. Trailing the Broncs were Tennessee State at 301, Bethune-Cookman, 310, South Carolina State, 317, Texas Southern, 321, Hampton, 343, and Alabama State at 344.

Sophomore Crystal Frazier (Coolidge, TX/Wortham HS) was tied for second after the first round with a score of 79. She was one stroke behind the leader, Catherine Williams of BCC. Freshman Chistine Treanor (Bulverde, TX/Smithson Valley HS) was fourth with a score of 80, senior Adriana Espinoza (Laredo, TX/Wortham HS) and sophomore Itziar Unanue (Apodaca, Mexico/Colegio San Patricio) were tied for sixth at 82, and junior Christina Infante (Lyford, TX/Lyford HS) was 10th at 102. Treanor’s round was her lowest of the season, and Espinoza’s score tied her previous best this year.

Sophomore Rudy Celedon (Edinburg, TX/Edinburg North HS) led the Broncs with a score of 69, good for second place, two strokes behind the leader, Jason Owens of FAMU. Senior Santiago DeLarrea (Victoria, Spain/Colegio Miguel de Cervantes) was tied for sixth at 75, junior Omar Halldorsson (Akureyri, Iceland/Schola Aknreyrensis) was tied for eighth at 76, sophomore Ben Piper (Lubbock, TX/Coronado HS) was 15th at 77, and freshman John Huerta (Alice, TX/Alice HS) was tied for 18th at 79. Celedon’s round was his lowest of the season, and the second lowest for a Bronc player this year.

The tournament will continue Saturday and conclude Sunday.

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