April 3, 2008

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Thundering Herd men's golf team will host the 39th annual Marshall Invitational at Guyan Golf and Country Club beginning with Friday's 8:30 a.m. shotgun start. Following Friday's opening 36 holes, the 17-team field will play the tournament's final round using tee times starting at 8 a.m.

Guyan Golf and Country Club is a par-71, 6,476-yard course. Penn State returns to the venue to defend its Marshall Invitational title along with 2007 medalist Robert Rohanna, a Nittany Lions' senior, who shot a 137 in a weather-shortened event. In 36 holes last year, PSU posted a score of 565 (285-280), finishing 12 strokes ahead of Marquette and Ball State (577).

The Thundering Herd placed 10th (591) at last year's 16-team Marshall Invitational.

The 17-team field at the 2008 Marshall Invitational includes Ball State, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Eastern Kentucky, Illinois, Marquette, Marshall, Miami (Ohio), Northern Illinois, Ohio, Ohio State, Penn State, Princeton, Rhode Island, Richmond, William & Mary and Wright State.

The field consists of five teams ranked in the Golfweek/Sagarin Men's Rankings top-100, including Penn State (36th), Ohio State (53rd), Eastern Kentucky (58th), Illinois (64th) and Marquette (75th). Marquette's Mike Van Sickle is positioned 34th nationally in the individual rankings.

The Marshall Invitational is sponsored by Pepsi, Dutch Miller Chevrolet-Hyundai, UNO Chicago Grill, Eagle Distributing, Huntington Federal Savings Bank, Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Co., Laborers' Local #543 and Steel of West Virginia.

Tournament results will be posted on HerdZone.com at the conclusion of each day of competition.