BETHANY BEACH, DE -- The University of Delaware men’s golf team came up with one of its most impressive performances in several years Sunday as the Blue Hens placed second out of 25 teams at the George Washington Invitational at Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club.

Junior Joe McLister (Loudoun County/Leesburg, VA- at right) shot a two-over par 74 on Saturday and an even par 72 on Sunday to finish tied for sixth place place with a 36-hole total of 144 to lead the Blue Hens to their best finish since winning the Goldey-Beacom Invitational last March 21, 2005. It was the Hens’ fifth top 10 finish in eight outings this season.

Delaware shot a team score of 295 on Saturday and 298 on Sunday to finish at 593, just one stroke behind team champion University of Pennsylvania which shot 592 over the 6,834-yard, par 72 course. Villanova was third at 596 followed by Liberty (598), Saint Joseph’s (602), Columbia (603), Hartford (604), Bucknell (605), George Washington (610), Siena (611), and Skidmore (611) in the top 10.

McLister, who entered the tournament with a team best 72.53 stroke average, led the Blue Hens for the sixth time in eight tournaments this season and garnered his second top 10 finish and fourth top 20 finish of the 2005-06 season. But McLister also had plenty of help from his teammates during the weekend.

The Blue Hens showed great balance as Josh Williamowsky (73-76), Matt Grobstein (75 74), and Steve Boerner (75-74) all tied for 18th place in the tournament with scores of 149, making Delaware the only team with more than three players finishing in the top 20. Also for the Blue Hens, Jeff Griest placed 123rd with a score of 83-85=168.

Kyle Morris of Seton Hall was the individual winner for the tournament, shooting scores of 68 and 72 for a four-under par score of 140, edging runner-up Brian Carroll of host George Washington, who shot 70-73=143. Carroll placed second for the second consecutive year. Skidmore’s Michael Stiller was third at 73-71=144 while Saint Joseph’s Billy Stewart and St. John’s Keegan Bradley tied for fourth at 145.

Delaware will continue action April 1-2 when the Hens travel to the Drew Upton/Towson Invitational at Great Hope Golf Club at Westover, MD.

AGATE:

Final Team Standings: 1. Pennsylvania - 292-300=592; 2. Delaware - 295-298=593; 3. Villanova - 297-299=596; 4. Liberty - 309-289=598; 5. Saint Joseph’s - 298-304=602; 6. Columbia - 301-302=603; 7. Hartford - 303-301=604; 8. Bucknell - 315-290=605; 9. George Washington - 307-303=610; 10. Siena, 304-307=611 and Skidmore, 308 303=611; 12. George Mason - 314-298=612 and Seton Hall - 299-313=612; 14. Lehigh - 305-308=613; 15. Boston College - 311-303=614; 16. Connecticut - 309-306=615; 17. St. John’s - 314-303=617; 18. Iona - 310-309=619; 19. Fordham - 317-305=622; 20. Temple, 318-312=630 and Hampton, 319-311=630; 22. Colgate, 325-310=625; 23. Duquesne - 324-315=639; 24. Hofstra - 313-327=640; 25. Fairleigh Dickinson - 328 314=642.

Top 10 Finishers: 1. Kyle Morris (Seton Hall), 68-72=140; 2. Brian Carroll (George Washington), 70-73=143; 3. Michael Stiller (Skidmore), 73-71=144; 4. Billy Stewart (St. Joseph’s), 72-73=145, Keegan Bradley (St. John’s), 75-70=145; 6. Joe McLister (Delaware), 74-72=146, Jonathan Hewett (Villanova), 72-74=146; 8. Bryan Bigley (Siena), 71-76=147, Chris Arkin (Columbia), 71-76=147, Chris Condello (Columbia), 74 73=147, Derek Rogers (Penn), 72-75=147, Peter Horstman (Liberty), 79-68=147, and Sean Barrett (Penn), 75-72=147.

Delaware Finishers: 6. Joe McLister, 74-72=146; 18. Josh Williamowsky, 73-76=149; 18. Matt Grobstein, 75-74=149; 18. Steve Boerner, 73-76=149; 123. Jeff Griest, 83-85=168.

Complete Results