State College, Pa.- The Penn State men's golf team finished in ninth place at the 2001 Big Ten Championship at the Stone Creek Golf Course in Urbana, Ill. The Nittany Lions finished with a 72-hole score of 1169 (293-291-289-296). The Lions' score marks a new school record for a 72 hole tournament. Northwestern took first place in the competition hosted by the University of Illinois tallying a score of 1132 (289-280-284-279). Senior Matt Abbott (Endwell, N.Y.) was named to the All-Big Ten team at the tournament.

Abbott led the way for the Lions over the weekend with a score of 288 (74-70-73-71), just one shot off of the 72- hole individual record that he set at the 1999 Big Ten Championship. Abbott finished with a share of 14th place. Andy Latowski (Pittsburgh, Pa.) tallied a score of 293 (72-74-73-74) and earned a share of 28th place. Jim Fuller (Muskogee, Okla.) finished with a score of 296 (71-74-70-81). Rounding out the lineup for the Nittany Lions were Jeff Turton (Ithaca, N.Y.) and Josh Dawes (Jacksonville, Fla.) who finished with scores of 301 (76-75-73-77) and 308 (79-73-82-74) respectively.

The Nittany Lions will travel to Williamsbug, Va. to participate in the 2001 NCAA East Regional from May 4-6.

Final Team Standings

1 Northwestern 289-280-284-279=1132
2 Purdue 286-283-285-291=1145
3 Ohio State 289-287-284-291=1151
4 Minnesota 291-291-286-284=1152
5 Iowa 300-292-284-277=1153
6 Michigan State 285-294-292-290=1161
7 Wisconsin 301-287-292-288=1168
Michigan 296-293-294-285=1168
9 Penn State 293-291-289-296=1169
10 Illinois 294-291-291-294=1173
11 Indiana 302-304-305-294=1205

ALL-BIG TEN TEAM
Luke Donald, Northwestern
Mike Austin, Ohio State
Steve Wheatcroft, Indiana
Matt Abbott, Penn State
Lee Williamson, Purdue
Todd Anderson, Wisconsin
Geoff Lound, Illinois
Tom Johnson, Northwestern
Wilhelm Schauman, Minnesota
Chris Thayer, Northwestern