March 21, 2003

Greenville, S.C. -- Virginia Tech shot an opening round 290 and take a one stroke lead into the second round of the Furman Intercollegiate at the 6,800 yard, par-72 Furman Golf Club in Greenville, S.C.

Senior Chris McKeel (Wilson, N.C.) shot a five-under-par 67 and leads the event by three strokes over J.D. McNeill of Elon and Rob Langley of Furman, who each shot 70 in the first round.

Senior Brendon de Jonge (Harare, Zimbabwe), the defending medalist in the event, is tied for 10th at 73. Junior Ryan Stinnett (Amherst, Va.) and redshirt sophomore Scott Wise (Vinton, Va.) are tied for 25th at 75. Freshman Joel Kraner (Dublin, Ohio) is tied for 41st at 76. Redshirt junior Matt Hollerbach (Tulsa, Okla.), who is competing as an individual in the event, is tied with Stinnett and Wise at 25th and freshman Sam Nicholson (Augusta, Ga.), also competing as an individual, is tied for 64th after an opening round 78.

The Hokies, the winner in each of the last two Furman Intercollegiate tournaments, lead the event by one stroke over the host Paladins, which shot a first round 291. Coastal Carolina is third at 293 and Francis Marion is fourth at 296. East Carolina rounds out the top five at 297.

The tournament's second round will be played Saturday and the event concludes on Sunday. The Hokies are attempting to become the first team to ever win the Furman Intercollegiate in three consecutive years.

TEAM RESULTS
1	Virginia Tech		290            +2 
2	Furman 		291            +3 
3	Coastal Carolina		293            +5 
4	Francis Marion		296            +8 
5	East Carolina		297            +9 
6	Memphis		298           +10 
7	Purdue		299           +11 
	Wofford		299           +11 
9	UNC Greensboro		302           +14 
10	Charleston Southern		303           +15 
	Elon		303           +15 
	Marshall		303           +15 
13	Old Dominion		304           +16 
14	Virginia		306           +18 
15	Winthrop		307           +19 
16	UTC		313           +25 
17	The Citadel		315           +27 
18	Davidson		317           +29 
	Furman B		317           +29 
20	Appalachian State		319           +31 
21	Western Carolina		320           +32 
22	Texas-Pan American		322           +34