Head coach team concluded the regional at 5-under 835, just two shots ahead of sixth-place Tennessee. The top five teams at each of the six regional sites nationally advanced to the NCAA Championship, which is set for May 29-June 3 in Pacific Palisades, Calif. The Knights last played in the championship in 2009.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ entered the final round in eighth but carded a 2-under 278 Saturday, compared to 4-over for Tennessee. Four of the Knights’ five golfers had par or better rounds on the final 18, led by and , who both posted 1-under 69 rounds. Joia finished tied for eighth at 5-under 205, while fellow sophomore Gouveia tied for 18th (208, -2).

“We are ecstatic,” Wallor said. “Going into the last round, we knew we were ready to play. Our guys flat out got it done.”

and both recorded 70s (E) Saturday and tied for 27th at 211 (+1).

No. 2 California won the regional title at 815 (-25). No. 14 San Diego State placed second at 821 (-9), followed by UAB (830, -10) and No. 8 Stanford (832, -8).

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ was making its sixth-consecutive NCAA Regional appearance and its third under Wallor.

“I am very happy for our team. I am so proud of them for putting their nose down and doing that they needed to do,” Wallor said.

Then, as Brad makes his way down the fairway and follows drives that often travel 290 yards or more, the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ senior’s cover is immediately blown. How could it be, Jim Schneider wonders to himself, that Brad’s form over the golf ball is so natural and his swing is so beautiful, but simply walking sometimes looks awkward and painful?

Considering all that he’s been through, it’s a minor miracle that is even here leading ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ to its fourth consecutive NCAA Regional tournament. Despite suffering a horrific injury years ago that would have crippled many and one that forces him to limp today, Schneider’s golf swing still looks as if it belongs on an instructional DVD.

“If you watch Brad walk, he actually plays golf better than he walks,” Jim Schneider said with amazement. “Even to this day, I can’t believe that there’s not an effect on his golf game. But Brad’s swing trainer, Todd Anderson, said the other day, `If (Brad) didn’t have shorts on you’d never know he had a bad ankle.’ Brad’s been able to overcome everything pretty well.”

By everything Jim Schneider is referring to a nightmarish series of events that not only nearly took away Brad’s ability to play golf, but to walk again. Brad’s story is one of pain and perseverance, labor and loyalty and ultimately hope for the future.

Five years ago — and just a couple of months after Schneider had accepted a scholarship to play golf at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ — a pick-up football game left him with a broken femur in his right leg. As if that weren’t bad enough for the aspiring golfer, Schneider suffered major nerve damage in both legs, and he had to endure several surgeries, four months in a hospital bed and not being able to walk without assistance for six months. Compartment Syndrome and Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy developed in his left leg, causing most of the discomfort that persists today. But you’d never be able to tell by watching Brad’s sweet swing on the golf course.

There were dozens of dark days along the road to recovery, but as the most recent winner of the David Toms Award — which is given to the men’s collegiate golfer who has overcome adversity — Schneider feels fortunate to still be able to enjoy the game he loves so much.

“When the accident happened, all of those thoughts were floating through my head … `What’s going to happen? … How long will it take for me to come back?'” he remembers. “There were times when I was completely down in the dumps and questioning everything and wondering why this happened to me. I was wondering what I was going to do the rest of my life. I had those points, but fortunately I didn’t spend a lot of time alone. That kept me going and kept my drive and it helped me get back on the golf course.”

“The accident”
To this day, Schneider still refers to what happened on that November day in 2006 that changed his life forever as “the accident.”

Schneider had a big group of friends, ones with whom he regularly played baseball and golf while growing up in Valrico, outside of Tampa. Two months after agreeing to play college golf at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½, Schneider rounded up 11 to 13 other friends for a game of boys-being-boys, roughhouse football the day before Thanksgiving.

After catching a pass and running for what he thought would be a touchdown, the 5-foot-6, 150-pound Schneider was pulled backward by his shoulders. His right leg was pinned underneath him as he fell back and the snapping of his femur was so grotesque and loud that it was heard by several of his buddies.

“My leg got caught back behind me really awkwardly, and I heard a snap and felt a lot of pain,” Schneider remembers. “It was the upper part of my leg, but I really didn’t know if it was my knee, my hip or my femur until the ambulance got there. There was just so much pain.”

He was rushed to the same Brandon hospital where his mother, Becky, worked as a nurse. Surgery followed on Thanksgiving Day to repair the fractured right femur, but it was actually just the start of Schneider’s medical issues.

Because he suffered such immense trauma, nerve damage hit his left leg the next day. Schneider ultimately developed compartment syndrome, a serious condition that involves increased pressure in a muscle compartment that can lead to muscle and nerve damage and blood flow problems.

Schneider said he doesn’t even remember what came next – and that’s probably a good thing. Over the next six days, he needed four more surgeries on his left leg. Doctors estimate that Brad lost 90 percent of the muscle and fascia tissue in his left leg because of the trauma. Later, he needed two more surgeries to block the nerves shooting down into his feet.

At that point, playing golf again was the furthest thing from the thoughts of the Schneider family. They simply hoped that their son’s pain would dissipate and he’d be able to walk again.

“We were in constant contact with the doctors about the prognosis. Our first worry, naturally, was walking and getting back to a normal life because at the time we didn’t know what was going to happen,” Jim Schneider said. “It was tough to watch.”

One thing that helped throughout the troubling time was the support of then-ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ golf coach , now a coach at Auburn. Clinard phoned Schneider on the day of the accident and promised that the spot on the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ golf team would still be there waiting for him after he recovered.

For a teenager just hoping to walk again, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½’s undying support meant everything.

“Coach Clinard he never lost confidence in me. He told me to get well and that he was still looking for me to come to ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½,” Brad said. “All of the support from everyone at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ has been huge for me, allowing me to come back and play again. I don’t know what would have happened at any other school. It was huge for Coach Clinard to stand by me and give me another chance. I had to get back and I think I surprised him.”

Back on course
Brad spent four months in a hospital bed, but was able to go home early because his mother was a nurse and could care for him. And even though it was six months before he walked for the first time without assistance, Brad was back around the golf course chipping and putting eight weeks later.

Schneider’s love for golf was passed down from three generations. For years, there were pictures in his grandfather’s Sun City home of a tiny Brad holding toy golf clubs in his hands.

Not long after that, he began to show an immense promise of someone well beyond his years on the golf course. Despite being small compared to others, Brad could crank drives longer than his friends and even started whipping his grandpa and father on the golf course at a young age.

“By 9 or 10 years old, I started playing a lot and started shooting some scores. I started breaking 80 and then I broke 70 the first time when I was 13,” Brad said in a matter-of-fact manner.

Remarkably, it wasn’t long after learning to walk that Schneider was shooting similar under-par scores with the assistance of a brace on his left leg and ankle. Working daily with golf trainer Randy Meyers and later testing out a variety of braces that would allow him to incorporate the golf swing on wobbly legs, Brad started chipping and putting, worked his way to his mid irons and in a matter of weeks began driving the ball once again.

Getting back on the golf course was the fuel for his inner engine. It made him singularly focused, much the way he is now when he pounds balls for hours on the driving range on off days.

“The first time I stepped foot back on a golf course I was just chipping and putting because it was the easiest thing to do. But really I didn’t know how I was ever going to swing a golf club again,” Brad admitted. “I just had to find the right brace appropriate for the golf swing and walking the course. Gaining my strength back through all of the physical therapy and strength training was huge for me. Every day I’d work at it 2-to-3 hours a day on weight training, physical therapy and stretching on top of practicing so that I could hit the ball like I did before the injury.”

Not a chance, Jim Schneider thought originally. “I knew he’d find a way to play golf again someday, but to get back to competitive golf in college is just amazing.”

Brad Schneider even amazed himself during his first full round in 2007, not long after coming to ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ for his redshirt freshman season.

“The first time I played 18 holes, I played in a cart at (Rio Pinar) and shot two-under,” he said. “After that, playing more and walking more, I knew I could still do it. And all of my teammates were so supportive of everything that I was doing. I knew then, starting to hit the ball the way that I wanted and getting my strength back, it was very good for me.”

Leaving a legacy at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½
Schneider isn’t just one of the most inspiring athletes in the history of athletics at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½; he is also one of the most successful.

As a freshman, he helped ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ win the first of three straight Conference USA titles. And he saved his best golf for the NCAA Regional when he fired a final round 62 and finished with a three-day total of 13-under 200 that vaulted the Knights into the NCAA Championships.

Remarkable stuff considering that Schneider had to walk 18, and sometimes 36 holes, a day on legs still trying to recover from “the accident” and the surgeries that followed. And in college golf there are no caddies, so forays up the fairways are done with the loop of the golf bag thrown over his shoulder.

C-USA titles followed in 2010 and 2011, as Schneider emerged as ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½’s best golfer. And this past season was his finest as a Knight as he took medalist honors at the Northern Intercollegiate, shot 13 rounds at par-or-better and finished in the top five of events five times. Accomplishing so much while also overcoming such great odds helped him with the David Toms Award.

“I can’t really sum it up without getting emotional. Seeing all of the work that Brad did, I called him the other day and told him that he really deserved it all,” said Jim, who is a fixture at all of Brad’s tournaments. “To handle it the way that he did, he’s always been an inspiration to a lot of people around him. There are still times when I look at him out there and my stomach still gets in knots and my heart drops because of all that he went through. I’m the one who sometimes wonders, `Why him?’ But with Brad, I’ve never seen him like that. I’m just amazed at how he’s been able to handle it all.”

Starting on Thursday, Schneider will step to the tee box in a NCAA Regional for the fourth straight year. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ is one of 13 squads that will compete in the Stanford Regional in California. Coach team, which won three tournament titles and once rose to as high as No. 6 in the national rankings, will be looking to finish in the top five to advance to the NCAA Championship (May 29-June 3 in Pacific Palisades, Calif.).

Regardless of what happens later this week, Brad feels like he’s already won. He’s back doing what he loves and back hitting the ball 270 yards in the air and 290 yards with the roll.

Shocking stuff, indeed, for someone barely 150 pounds. And even more shocking when playing partners hear stories of all that Brad has had to overcome. They see signs of it in his limp down the fairway, but not in a picture-perfect golf swing that doesn’t seem a bit bothered by all of the trauma suffered five years ago.

“Actually, my legs are as good now as they were in junior golf,” Brad said with a snicker, still somewhat amazed himself. “Walking 18 holes and walking 36 holes, I can do it and it’s not a problem at all. There are certain pains that come up on certain days, but they are something that everyone has. I knew I had to get better physically to play good golf. I did it and I’m able to do something I love again.”

With a score of 861 (-3) for the tournament, the Knights finished two strokes behind first-place Memphis. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ got off to a slow start at the event, and was in fourth after the opening round. The team recovered to post an impressive finish at the championship.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the guys,” ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ head coach Bryce Wallor said. “They never give up. All season long, we have played great final rounds. We are playing well enough to win tournaments, but it just hasn’t happened the last few weeks.”

Eason posted a 70 (-2) on the final 18 to finish at 8-under 208. Memphis’ Jack Belote and SMU’s Max Buckley finished one-stroke behind Eason. Like the previous two rounds, Eason capitalized on the back nine with a 32 (-4). His score was aided by an eagle on the 12th hole. Eason has experienced great success in both appearances at the C-USA Championship, as he finished in second last year.

“Greg played some fantastic golf. I credit him for really working on his mental game. He had some slow starts, but made so many birdies on the last four holes all three rounds,” Wallor said.

“I did seem to play better on the back nine,” Eason said. “I managed to keep going. It was nice to have patience on the course. It was something that I was lacking a bit in the past, but it was nice to see that.”

Sophomores Ricardo Gouveia and Kyle Wilshire finished near the top of the leaderboard. Gouveia’s 215 (-1) allowed him finish eighth. Wilshire’s consistent play enabled him to finish ninth. Dating back to last year’s tournament, Wilshire has shot a 72 (E) in five-consecutive rounds.

Senior Brad Schneider shot a 73 (+1) on the day. He benefitted from posting four-consecutive birdies, a streak that started on the ninth hole.

With a 73 (+1) on the day, Jose Joia tallied his best round of the C-USA Championship.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ began Tuesday three shots behind Memphis and carded a 287 (-1) during the final round.

The Knights will be hoping for an at-large bid to the NCAA Regionals. Regional play begins May 17 and the field will be announced in early May.

Conference USA Championship – Tuesday Final Round – Par 72

Team Leaderboard

1) Memphis -5 (282-289-288–859)

2) ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ -3 (290-284-287–861)

3) East Carolina +5 (295-287-287–869)

T4) UAB +9 (292-291-290–873)

T4) SMU +9 (284-300-289–874)

Individual Leaderboard

1) Greg Eason (ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½) -8 (70-68-70–208)

T2) Jack Belote (Houston) -7 (68-71-70–209)

T2) Max Buckley (SMU) -7 (68-72-69–209)

3) Martin Simonsen (UTEP) -4 (72-67-73–212)

T5) Jonathan Fly (Memphis) -2 (69-73-72–214)

T5) Bosten Miller (Marshall) -2 (72-71-71–214)

T5) Roman Robledo (Houston) -2 (70-68-76–214)

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½’s Golfers

1) Greg Eason -8 (70-68-70–208)

8) Ricardo Gouveia -1 (72-71-72–215)

9) Kyle Wilshire E (72-72-72–216)

T24) Brad Schneider +6 (76-73-73–222)

T27) Jose Joia +7 (76-74-73–223)

The Central Florida Future sports staff compiled a list using a variety of criteria, including impact on and off the field, career achievements, success of the program and buzz and exposure created for the school.

While things seemed pretty clear at the top of the list, it got a bit complicated as we neared the bottom, so included at the end is a β€œfirst four out,” which lists a few other deserving Knights.

Here are the Future’s top 10 most valuable Knights:

1. Octavious Freeman, sprinter, track & field β€” This isn’t even a question. Freeman may very well be the fastest woman on the planet (her 11.10 in the 100 meters in Gainesville is the fastest time for a woman in the event this year, professional or amateur), or at least among them. Freeman came to campus as arguably the most sought-after recruit ever to choose the black and gold. Most importantly, a likely future Olympian, perhaps even a gold-medalist, is a ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Knight.
2. D.J. Hicks, first baseman, baseball β€” He’s the guy carrying the big stick for the resident top-15 baseball team. Hicks was voted the preseason Conference USA Player of the Year and a preseason All American, and he’s delivered. He’s done it in ways outside of just sending the ball over the fence. Hicks is batting .329 with a team-leading 55 RBIs (Chris Taladay comes in second with 30). Hicks provides a lot of the excitement to be had at Jay Bergman Field, leading the team with 10 home runs. In short, Hicks is the face of a program that may be contending for a national championship in Omaha, Neb., this summer.
3. Mackenzie Audas, pitcher, softball β€” In a sport where a pitcher can dominate and take the mound nearly every game, there truly is nothing more valuable than an ace. The Knights have theirs. The freshman has come in and in a flash become the face of the program, posting shutout after shutout, including this biggest win of the season, a 2-0 victory over the then-No. 3 Florida Gators at the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Softball Complex. What’s more? She’s going to be rocking the black and gold for three more years.
4. Keith Clanton, forward, men’s basketball β€” He’s Mr. Reliable for a program that is on an upward trend and has embraced increasing expectations. Clanton is one of the few players who can quietly register a double-double, racking up rebounds and often scoring at ease in the paint or on the perimeter. Clanton led the Knights, averaging 14.5 points per game and 8.1 rebounds per game, and perhaps most importantly hit the go-ahead free throw with just seconds remaining in ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s historic win over Memphis.
5. Kevan George, midfielder, men’s soccer β€” The 29th pick in the this year’s MLS SuperDraft, selected by Columbus Crew, was an integral part of a loaded men’s soccer team that took the program to new heights in 2011. George led the team in assists (7) and had two game-winning goals to his credit in 2011, one of which game in the first round of the NCAA Championship against Florida Gulf Coast.
6. Isaiah Sykes, guard/forward, men’s basketball β€” Sykes was easily the most improved player on the roster this season and made a strong case for most improved player in the nation. The sophomore from Detroit continued doing the things he did well as a freshman: rebounding, defending and grabbing loose balls. But in the 2011-12 season he started scoring. A lot. Sykes averaged 12.3 points per game and had a few 20-point efforts to his name. Sykes got more confident in his jump shot as the season went on and, of course, delivered more than a few SportsCenter-worthy highlights.
7. Josh Robinson, defensive back, football β€” The Knights’ defensive backfield took a blow when this junior defender declared for the NFL Draft. Then, the program enjoyed some exposure when Robinson made a huge splash at the NFL Combine. Robinson’s 4.33-second time in the 40-yard dash was the fastest of any athlete at any position at the Combine. Accordingly, Robinson, who came to the program as a four-star recruit out of high school, saw his stock shoot upward. Any time a Knight goes in the earlier rounds of the Draft, it’s a victory for everybody.
8. Tishia Jewell, forward, women’s soccer β€” The 5-foot-6 senior out of Satellite Beach was an integral part of a women’s soccer program that ranked among the top in the nation. Jewell finished 2011 as a Third Team All-American and a C-USA First Team honoree. Jewell dished out 10 assists, putting her at No. 24 nationally, and scored seven goals. On a program that has been consistently good for quite some time, Jewell shined this year, scoring two game-winning goals.
9. Jackie Coward, sprinter, track & field β€” She is the most accomplished athlete in the program’s history, and Coward is also the commitment that started it all. Coward was the first All-American to come to ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ and join coach Caryl Smith Gilbert in her vision of what the program could become. Speedsters like Freeman and Aurieyall Scott may not have selected ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ out of high school had it not been for Coward. The senior sprinter will be chasing Olympic dreams at the U.S. Trials this summer.
10. Alex Friedrich, right fielder, baseball β€” It’s probably the best sports story on campus. Friedrich, who graduated from nearby University High School, had no major college offers despite his stellar high school career. Undaunted, Friedrich came to ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ and walked on with the program, no small achievement. But he wasn’t done. Friedrich gradually earned more and more playing time, and now the senior right fielder who came to campus without a scholarship offer is one of the top hitters on one of the top baseball teams in the country. Friedrich is batting .351 and also has quite the arm in the outfield with five assists this season.

Just missed out:

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ finished four strokes behind No. 8 Arkansas and a stroke better than No. 13 North Florida, while placing three golfers in the top 15. Schneider finished the event at the Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach at 216 (E).

Schneider concluded the event with an even-72 after carding a 71 in the first round and a 73 on the second day. The top-10 finish was the third of the year for Schneider. This is Schneider’s second C-USA Golfer of the Week award this season and third honor of his career.

The Knights, who are ranked 16th nationally, will return to action Sunday when play begins at the USF Invitational in Dade City.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ was led by sophomore Ricardo Gouveia (Almancil, Portugal), who took medalist honors in only his second event as a Knight.

The Knights, who are ranked 25th nationally according to Golfweek, posted a 13-under 275 on the final 18 holes to post the victory. Georgia, the nation’s 16th-ranked team, finished second, nine shots behind ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ at 851 (-9). The Knights entered the final round in second, just three shots behind Georgia. Three Knights finished in the top-10 individually.

“For two tournaments in a row now we have received contributions across the board,” ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ head coach Bryce Wallor said. “Every week is its own test. You bring your best team out and see how you stack up against some of the premier teams in the country. Every day, somebody on our team is doing something special out on the golf course. I am excited with the way that we have started the season and hopefully we will continue to progress.”

Gouveia, a transfer from Lynn, carded a 6-under 66 Tuesday to conclude the tournament at 204 (-11). Senior Brad Schneider (Valrico, Fla.), who posted a 68 (-4) during the final round, placed third.

“Ricardo and Brad rolled in here and played great for 54 holes. They were both in contention after the first day. They played fantastic golf again today. Ricardo came out on top of the field, and I couldn’t be happier for him. He is a great addition to our program, and he has been working hard along with everybody else on the team.”

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ sophomore Jose Joia (Lagoa, Portugal) tied for eighth at 215 (E). On the final 18, he registered a 5-under 67. Junior Reid Martin (Mukilteo, Wash.) tied for 23rd at 5-under 220. Sophomore Kyle Wilshire (Lexington, Ky.) tied for 32nd (221, +6).

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ also claimed the title at the Adams Cup of Newport a year ago. Martin placed fourth individually, and Schneider tied for 21st in 2010.

Georgia posted a 1-under 287 Tuesday. Yale finished third, followed by Texas Tech. Rhode Island hosted the event and finished 12th.

The tournament was a homecoming for Wallor. An Ocean State native, Wallor was a member of Rhode Island’s men’s golf team from 1993-98. He served as an assistant coach for the Rams in 2002-03.

The tournament was the second of the fall for the Knights. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ began the season by taking the title at the Northern Intercollegiate in Illinois on Sept. 11. Schneider took medalist honors at the event.

The Knights will return to action on Oct. 9 at the Prestige at PGA West in La Quinta, Calif.

Team Leaders

1. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ 288-279-275=842 (-18)
2. Georgia 289-275-287=851 (-9)
3. Yale 293-286-281=860 (E)
4. Texas Tech 292-287-285=864 (+4)

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Golfers

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ is ranked 25th nationally in the Golfweek preseason poll, and finished play at 870 (+18), 10 shots ahead of second-place Tulsa (880, +28). Schneider was joined in the top-10 individually by sophomores Jose Joia (Lagoa, Portugal) and Ricardo Gouveia (Almancil, Portugal), who were both making their ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ debuts at the event.

“This was a great team effort,” ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ head coach Bryce Wallor said. “It was a long couple of days, but collectively everybody did a great job. It was a total-team effort.”

Schneider carded a 2-over 73 Sunday and finished the tournament at 212 (-1) to tie for first with Ball State’s Tyler Merkel. The individual title is the first of Schneider’s collegiate career. The senior has helped ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ to great success during his time in Orlando, highlighted by three Conference USA Championship titles.

“I am so excited for Brad,” Wallor said. “He is an absolute role model as a student-athlete. He is a great leader who works so hard. We are all very happy for him.”

Joia tied for sixth at 216 (+3). Gouveia, his former teammate at Lynn, was two shots back at 5-over 218. Making his collegiate debut, freshman McCabe Buege (Rogers, Minn.) contributed to the victory by tying for 44th (230, +17). Sophomore Greg Eason (Leicester City, England), the 2010-11 C-USA Freshman of the Year, competed in Illinois but was forced to withdraw due to injury.

After fog delayed the start of play yesterday, the teams concluded the second round Sunday morning before moving to the final 18 holes. The Knights were in first following the first round.

Indiana finished third at 36-over 888. Ball State and Virginia Tech tied for fourth at 889 (+37). No. 7 Illinois tied for sixth. The Knights posted a 295 (+11) on the final 18.

The event was the first of four fall tournaments for ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½. The victory was the sixth for the Knights since Wallor took the helm of the program prior to the 2009-10 campaign.

The Knights will return to action Sept. 19 when play begins at the Adams Cup of Newport in Rhode Island. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ took the team title at the tournament a year ago, and Eason claimed medalist honors.

Team Leaders

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Golfers

β€œThe conditions were so difficult for two-straight days. The mindset from our team was great. We were tied for eighth after the first day, but our guys never stopped talking about winning. This group really wanted to win this tournament. They certainly stepped up and did that,” ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ head coach Bryce Wallor said.

The Knights were led by freshman Greg Eason (Leicester City, England), who placed second at 6-under 210. He was joined in the top 10 by junior Brad Schneider (Valrico, Fla.), who concluded the three-day tournament at 1-under 215.

With the victory, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ became the first C-USA program to win three-straight league titles since TCU claimed four in a row from 2002-05.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s 280 Tuesday marked the best round recorded during the tournament. Tulsa began Tuesday in first, but fell to third (868, +4), after posting a 291 (+3).

Eason tallied two birdies and an eagle as he posted a 69 (-3) on the final 18. Schneider carded a 2-under 70. Memphis’ Jonathan Fly took medalist honors at 209 (-7), finishing just one stroke ahead of Eason. The second-place showing marked Eason’s seventh top-10 finish of the year.

All five ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ golfers had par or better rounds Tuesday. Junior Connor Arendell (Cape Coral, Fla.), who tied for 13th overall at 1-over 217, recorded a 3-under 69. Senior Nuno Henriques (Funchal, Portugal) and freshman Kyle Wilshire (Georgetown, Ky.) both carded even-par 72s. Henriques tied for 26th at 221 (+5), and Wilshire tied for 38th (226, +10).

β€œThese guys give their best every day,” Wallor said. β€œThey give their best every day in practice. They are so competitive. They want to win. When they finished that first round, multiple guys said, β€˜we can still win this.’ As a coach, that is what you want to hear.”

The tournament win was the third of the season and second of the spring for the Knights. Since Wallor took over the helm of the program in 2009, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ has won five tournament crowns.

NCAA Regional competition will begin May 19.

Team Leaders

1. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ 293-289-280=862 (-2)

2. Memphis 281-299-284=864 (E)

3. Tulsa 289-288-291=868 (+4)

T4. UAB 291-294-286=871 (+7)

Houston 288-297-286=871 (+7)

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Golfers

2. Greg Eason 69-72-69=210 (-6)

T7. Brad Schneider 73-72-70=215 (-1)

T13. Connor Arendell 75-73-69=217 (+1)

T26. Nuno Henriqes 76-73-72=221 (+5)

T38. Kyle Wilshire 82-72-72=226 (+10)

The Knights posted a 293 (+9) during Sunday’s final round at the Wolf Run Golf Club to finish tied for second with Ball State at 878 (+26). Illinois won the team title at 7-over 859. The Fighting Illini are ranked 18th in Golfweek’s preseason poll.

Arendell shot under par during all three rounds of the tournament, including a 70 (-1) during the third round. He became the first Knight since April 2009 to win an event championship.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ junior Brad Schneider (Valrico, Fla.) also posted a top-10 finish. He tied for sixth at 217 (+4).

The Knights entered the final day of play in second, seven strokes behind leader Illinois. Fellow Conference USA program Tulsa placed fourth (880, +28), and Northwestern and tournament host Indiana tied for fifth at 882 (+30).

Three ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ freshmen – Kyle Wilshire (Georgetown, Ky.), Greg Eason (Leicestershire, England) and Hojin Kang (Lake Mary, Fla.) – made their collegiate debuts at Wolf Run. Wilshire tied for 32nd at 12-over 225. Eason tied for 62nd (231, +18) and Kang tied for 66th (232, +19).

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ also began the 2009-10 season at Wolf Run, placing sixth. Arendell tied for 42nd at the tournament.

He played well this past summer, posting impressive finishes at several events, including the U.S. Amateur Championship, where he advanced to the round of 32 in match play. Arendell finished Wolf Run four shots ahead of Ball State’s Eric Steger, who placed second.

The event was the first of four for the Knights this fall. The squad will return to action on Sept. 20 at the Adam’s Cup of Newport in Rhode Island.

Team Results

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Individuals

The field included seven of the top-75 squads in the country, including No. 21 North Florida and No. 51 Charlotte. Charlotte concluded the event at 869 (+15), followed by the Ospreys at 14-over 878.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ posted a 7-under 281 on the final 18 holes.

The tournament title was the seventh in the last three years for the Knights. The victory was also the first for ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ under first-year head coach Bryce Wallor.

“I am really happy for them,” Wallor said about the Knights. “Guys have been working really hard. I am excited for our team. You look at that scoreboard and there is red all over it. Everyone put [great] scores in. Our guys really stepped up big this week.”

Following Schneider in third was junior Nuno Henriques (Funchal, Portugal) at 4-under 212. He also posted a 70 Tuesday. Senior Simon Ward (County Monaghan, Ireland) tied for fifth at 2-under 214. Freshman Reid Martin (Mukilteo, Wash.) carded a 2-under 69 in the final round to tie for sixth (215, -1).

Sophomore Connor Arendell (Cape Coral, Fla.) tied for 21st at 222 (+6). Playing as an individual, senior Devin Spies (Sarasota, Fla.) tied for 50th.

Charlotte’s Olafur Loftsson took medalist honors at 7-under 209. He fired a 3-under 68 Tuesday.

North Texas finished fourth at 15-over 879, followed by Middle Tennessee (883, +19).

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ will return to action on March 28 when play begins at the Hootie at Bulls Bay in South Carolina.