February 22, 2004

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Virginia Tech opened the 2004 spring schedule with a first-round, seven-over-par 295 and is in 11^th place at the Puerto Rico Classic at the par-72, 6,931 Rio Mar Country Club's River Course in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Sunday.

Freshman Ryan Sypniewski (Radford, Va.) is tied for 11^th place to lead the Hokies after the first round. He shot a one-under-par 71 and is five strokes behind tournament leader Jason Hartwick of Texas, who fired a six-under-par 66 in the first round.

Sophomore Joel Kraner (Dublin, Ohio) is tied for 29^th at one-over-par 73 and senior Ryan Stinnett (Amherst, Va.) is tied for 46^th place after the first day, at three-over-par, 75. Redshirt junior Scott Wise (Vinton, Va.) is tied for 56^th at 76 and sophomore Sam Nicholson (Augusta, Ga.) is tied for 77^th after a first round 80.

Defending national champion Clemson leads the event after day one with a seven-under-par, 281, two strokes ahead of Oklahoma. 2002 NCAA champion Minnesota and Texas are tied for third at 288 and Florida is fifth at 289. Georgia, Oklahoma State, Virginia, Kent State and North Carolina State round out the top 10. Tech is 11^th, two strokes behind Kent and NC State and one stroke ahead of Georgia Tech.

The tournament features one of the strongest fields of the spring season. The past five NCAA Division I champions are in the event, as are seven of the final 18 teams from last season's championship, including 2003 champion Clemson and runner-up Oklahoma State.

The second round will be played Monday and the final round of the tournament will be played Tuesday. Next on the schedule for the Hokies is the Coastal Carolina Intercollegiate at the Tournament Players Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C. on March 8 and 9.

RESULTS
1	Clemson		281		
2	Oklahoma		283		
3	Minnesota		288		
	Texas	        		288	      
5	Florida	        	289		
6	Georgia	      290		
7	Oklahoma State	292		
	Virginia		292		
9	Kent State		293		
	N.C. State		293		
11	Virginia Tech	295		
12	Georgia Tech	296		
13	Purdue	      300		
	Duke	        		300		
15	E. Tennessee St.	304		
16	Illinois		306		
	Northwestern	306		
18	Michigan		319