State College, Pa.- As men's golf heads into its spring season, Penn State's Matt Abbott (Endwell, N.Y.) is the current Big Ten All-Conference points leader. An All-Big Ten selection in 1999-2000, Abbott currently leads the conference midway through the 2000-2001 season, having amassed 924 total points. Indiana's Steve Wheatcroft is in second place with 737 points.

Abbott, the 2000 NCAA District II Player-of-the-Year, had a stellar fall 2000 season for the Nittany Lions, winning the Northern Intercollegiate (Big Ten Preview) for the second consecutive season.

After a blistering first round 65, he took second place at the Colorado State Ram Intercollegiate. He also placed third at the Xavier Provident Invitational and fourth at the Wisconsin Badger Invite. In all, Abbott finished under par in four of six tournaments in the fall of 2000. In his two seasons in Happy Valley, he has twice broken the Penn State single season scoring average.

The Nittany Lions have two other team members currently in the top 20 for All-Conference points. Andy Latowski (Pittsburgh, Pa.) is currently 11th with 372 points and Josh Dawes (Jacksonville, Fla.) is 18th with 255 points.

Penn State begins its 2001 spring schedule in Ocala, Fla. at the Big Red Classic, March 10-11.