Nov. 3, 2011
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By Brandon Naidus
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF men's golf team had a decorated fall campaign, which included two first-place finishes. The Knights have been in the top 25 rankings in Golfstat all season.
The Knights will open their spring schedule at the Gator Invitational in Gainesville on Feb. 11.
Strong Start
The team won its first two tournaments of the season. UCF captured the Northern Intercollegiate by 10 strokes. Senior Brad Schneider (Valrico, Fla.) won co-medalist honors and was subsequently named Conference USA Golfer of the Week. The team's next tournament, the Adams Cup of Newport in Rhode Island, was a homecoming for head coach Bryce Wallor. Wallor's squad took the title by nine strokes and sophomore Ricardo Gouveia (Almancil, Portgual) earned medalist honors. After his strong performance, Gouveia was named the C-USA Golfer of the Week. The team peaked at No. 6 in the Golfstat rankings. Currently, the Knights are ranked 16th in the nation.
Tremendous Transfers
Sophomores Jose Joia (Lagoa, Portugal) and Gouveia are in their first season with UCF after transferring from Lynn. In addition earning medalist honors at the Adams Cup of Newport, Gouveia finished tied for ninth at the Northern Intercollegiate and tied for 20th at the Isleworth Collegiate Invitational. Joia finished in the top 10 at three of the four tournaments, including a season best sixth-place finish at the Northern Intercollegiate.
Lots of Leaders
The Knights had a different player lead the team in all of its tournaments. Schneider had the best score on the team for the Northern Intercollegiate. Gouveia had the team's best score at the Adams Cup of Newport. Sophomore Kyle Wilshire's tied for 21st, which was a team best at the Prestige at PGA West. Joia led the team at the Isleworth Collegiate Invitational, finishing tied for 10th.
Outstanding Opponents
The Knights faced many of the top teams in the nation during the fall. The field at the Isleworth Collegiate Invitational did not have a team ranked outside the top 100. The Knights faced off against No. 1 Texas, No. 2 Stanford, No. 5 Alabama, No. 7 California and three other teams in the nation's top 20. At both the Northern Intercollegiate and the Prestige at PGA West, the Knights faced two opponents in the nation's top 20.