February 23, 2004

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Virginia Tech shot four-over-par 292 and is tied with Texas at 587 for eighth 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 Monday.

Freshman Ryan Sypniewski (Radford, Va.) is tied for 16^th place to lead the Hokies after the first two rounds. He is at even-par 144 and is seven strokes behind tournament leader Matt Hendrix of Clemson, who is at seven-under-par 137.

Sophomore Joel Kraner (Dublin, Ohio) and senior Ryan Stinnett (Amherst, Va.) are tied for 25^th place at two-over-par, 146. Redshirt junior Scott Wise (Vinton, Va.) is tied for 57^th at 151 and sophomore Sam Nicholson (Augusta, Ga.) is tied for 76^th at 157. Stinnett shot the best round of the day for the Hokies, a one-under-par 71.

Oklahoma now leads the event at 13-under-par 563, three strokes ahead of Florida. Defending national champion and first round leader Clemson is third at 570, North Carolina State is fourth at even-par 576 and Georgia is fifth at 582. Minnesota is sixth at 584 and Virginia is seventh at 586, one stroke ahead of the Hokies and the Longhorns, who are tied at 587. Kent State and Oklahoma State are tied for 10^th at 590.

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 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	Oklahoma		283 - 280 = 563	
2	Florida	        	289 - 277 = 566
3	Clemson		281 - 289 = 570
4	N.C. State		293 - 283 = 576
5	Georgia	      290 - 292 = 582
6	Minnesota		288 - 296 = 584
7	Virginia		292 - 294 = 586
8	Virginia Tech	295 - 292 = 587
	Texas	        		288 - 299 = 587
10	Oklahoma State	292 - 298 = 590
	Kent State		293 - 297 = 590
12	E. Tennessee St.	304 - 289 = 593
13	Duke	        		300 - 294 = 594
14	Georgia Tech	296 - 299 = 595
15	Purdue	      300 - 298 = 598
	Northwestern	306 - 292 = 598
17	Illinois		306 - 313 = 619
18	Michigan		319 - 302 = 621