Sept. 7, 2008

ATHENS, Ohio - The Ohio University men's and women's golf teams will begin their 2008-09 seasons this week with trips to the Piper Intercollegiate and the Penn State Invitational, respectively.

The Bobcat men will open at Bowling Green's Piper Intercollegiate for the second-straight year, and the third time in the last four seasons. Played at Stone Ridge Golf Club, the tournament will feature 36 holes on Monday, Sept. 8, before concluding with the final 18 the following day.

Ohio returns eight letterwinners from last year's squad, and loses only one lineup regular - departed senior Mark Phillips - from the 2007-08 season. The current Bobcat roster has combined to play 228 rounds of golf over the course of 80 tournaments.

The Green and White placed 13th at last year's Piper Intercollegiate, posting a team total of 911 (+47). Phillips led the way with a nine-over 225 to tie for 26th, while then-sophomore James McGrath (Connellsville, Pa.) fired a 54-hole total of 228 (+12) to earn a share of 39th place.

Ohio's women will lift the lid on the 2008-09 season this weekend, traveling to University Park, Pa., for the Penn State Invitational. The first 36 holes will be played on Saturday, Sept. 13, with the final 18 to be contested on Sunday. All competition will take place on Penn State's Blue Course.

Like the men, the Ohio women's team lost just one senior from a year ago, and returns seven players who saw course time in 2007-08. This season's squad has combined to play in 148 over 53 tournaments.

The Bobcats took 10th at last season's Nittany Lion Invitational, played on the same course from Sept. 30-Oct. 1. Then-freshman Erin Cahill (Hilliard, Ohio) rode a final-round 78 to a total of 244 (+28) and a tie for 32nd place. The 10th-place showing in University Park marked the second of Ohio's three top-10 finishes last season.