Huskers Finish Seventh at Diet Pepsi Shocker Classic

Wichita, Kan. - Led by Andrew Wyatt's fourth top-20 finish in the last five tournaments, the Nebraska men's golf team finished a season-best seventh place at the 16-team Diet Pepsi Shocker Classic Tuesday.

The Huskers shot a final round 294 to finish the two-day tournament with a team score of 888.

Nebraska benefited from strong, consistent through most of the tournament. Wyatt, who finished tied for 15th overall, shot a 72 to finish the tournament with a five-over-par 218. Wyatt's spring stroke average of 74.2 is more than two-and-a-half strokes lower than his fall stroke average of 76.73. His average finish position has also dropped from 62nd place in the fall to 28th place in the spring.

Trent Price provided solid play for the Huskers for the second-straight tournament. Price scored a season-best 223, bettering the 224 he recorded at the Ron Moore Invitational last week. Price finished tied for 29th, his best finish in two years. Also shooting a spring-best 223 and tying for 29th was junior Mark Pillen.

Chris Bruening and Mike Coatman both overcame second rounds of 78 by shooting 74s in the final round. Bruening tied for 37th overall with a 225, his best score of the year. Coatman tied for 43rd with a 227. 

The Diet Pepsi Shocker Classic marked the first time since the fall of 2006 that all five golfers in the Nebraska lineup finished in the top 50.

Brett Sundberg, competing as an individual for the Huskers, scored a 229 and tied for 53rd.

Wichita State captured the title on their home course, shooting 855. Kevin Carrigan, from UT-Arlington, won the individual title by recording a 206. Carrigan was competing as an individual, though, so his score did not count toward UT-Arlington's team score.

Nebraska will take its rising confidence into the final regular season tournament April 14-15, The Palisades Collegiate Golf Classic at Charlotte, N.C. The Huskers will then gear up for the Big 12 Championship on April 25-27.

Diet Pepsi Shocker Classic
Wichita Country Club
Par 71, 6,814 yards

Final Team Standings
1. Wichita State - 855
2. SMU - 864
3. VCU - 872
4. Kansas St. - 880
5. UT-Arlington - 883
6. Iowa St. - 885
7. Nebraska - 888
8. Oklahoma Christian - 892
9. Florida Gulf Coast - 893
10. Denver - 900
11. Oklahoma City - 901
12. Northeastern St. - 902 
13. Hartford - 904
14. Texas-San Antonio - 905
15. Sam Houston St. - 908
16. Stephen F. Austin St. - 921

Individual Champion
1. Kevin Carrigan, UT-Arlington - 206 (67-68-71)                            

Nebraska's Final Results
T-15. Andrew Wyatt - 218 (73-73-72)
T-29. Trent Price - 223 (73-76-74) 
T-29. Mark Pillen - 223 (73-75-75)
T-37. Chris Bruening - 225 (73-78-74)
T-43. Mike Coatman - 227 (75-78-74)
T-53. Brett Sundberg - 229 (79-75-76)*

*=competed as an individual