Ryan Brehm Competing At World University Games
8/10/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Aug. 10, 2007
BANGKOK, Thailand - Michigan State senior golfer Ryan Brehm is representing the United States of America at the World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand August 8-18.
For the first time in the competition's history, golf will be included in the World University Games. The golf competition will be contested over 54 holes, August 14-17 at Water Mill Golf and Gardens in Nakhonnayok, Thailand.
The United States has previously competed in the World University Golf Championships, held in opposite years with the World University Games. Both events are sponsored by the Federation of International University Sports.
"This is a big step-up for our sport and we are proud to be the first golf team to represent the USA at the World University Games," said Team USA men's head coach Mark Hankins.
Team USA includes Brehm (Michigan State), Bronson Burgoon (Texas A&M), Braxton Marquez (Scottsdale CC) and Aaron Goldberg (San Diego State). The women's squad consists of Selanee Henderson (Cal-Irvine), Mary Jacobs (Arizona) and Jennifer Tangtiphaiboontana (Stanford). Henderson was a member of the women's championship squad at the most recent Golf Championships.
Brehm, a native of Mount Pleasant, MI, holds the Michigan State school record for career scoring average at 73.14 strokes. He is the current Michigan Amateur Champion and became the first amateur to make the cut at the 2006 PGA Buick Open since 1966, where he finished 79th. He is also a three time all-Big Ten Conference honoree.
Burgoon is from The Woodlands, TX, and was named to the PING All-Regional team as a freshman. He won a local qualifier for the PGA TOUR's 2006 Shell Houston Open and also qualified for the 2005 and 2006 U.S. Amateurs. He finished the 2007 collegiate season ranked 22nd nationally by Golfweek.
Marquez, a Scottsdale, AZ native, was a first team NJCAA all-American and a first team GCAA PING all-American as a freshman last spring. We was named the ACCAC conference Player of the Year after finishing in the top five in all six spring tournaments, including two victories and a first place tie. He also finished 16th in the golfstat.com cup rankings.
Goldberg, a native of Encinitas, CA, earned PING all-American honors last spring after recorded seven top five finishes. He was named the Mountain West Golfer of the Month three times and finished his collegiate season ranked 32nd nationally by Golfweek.
Henderson is from Apple Valley, CA, and won the Big West individual championship as a freshman. She was also named the 2006 Big West Player of the Year. Henderson has three career tournament wins and advanced to the round of 64 at the 2005 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship.
Jacobs is a Godfrey, IL, native who transferred to Arizona from Tulane, where she finished tied for third at the Conference USA championship and was named first team all-conference. She also finished eighth at the North and South Amateur in Pinehurst, NC.
Tangthiphaiboontana, a Long Beach, CA, was named a Golfweek all-American. She was an NGCA all-regional selection and was also named second team all-Pac 10 last spring. She finished tied for 26th at the 2007 NCAA Championships.
The men's team will be coached by Hankins and the women's squad will be led by Diane Thomason.
Hankins was recently hired as the men's coach at the University of Iowa. Before joining the Hawkeyes, Hankins led Michigan State to Big Ten titles in two of the last three years, including 2007. The Mt. Pleasant, IA, native was twice named Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year.
Thomason served as Iowa's women's coach for 27 years, guiding the Hawkeye women to the Big Ten title in 1991. She was national Coach of the Year in 1985 and 1990 and Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year in 1990 and 1991. She was inducted into the National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) Hall of Fame in 1994-95.
"The World University Games is a once in a lifetime experience for our players and coaching staff," said Hankins, who was named men's coach at Iowa on July 9. "We have great young players representing Team USA. It's a privilege to be able to serve as their coach for this international competition."
"It's an exciting atmosphere for the student-athletes," said Thomason, who has coached teams from the United States 11 times in the World University Golf Championships.
"This is Olympic-style competition for college golfers. It's a good test of golf in which the United States has experienced success."
The USA women's team has won the competition six times, including the last two championships, and has had the women's medalist six times.
The USA men's team has won three titles at the Golf championships and had the medalist twice.
The USA golf contingent will meet in San Francisco before departing August 8 for Thailand.
Teams competing in the competition could include Thailand, France, Italy, South Africa, Ireland, Great Britain, Russia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Chinese Taipei, Slovakia, Netherlands, Germany, Japan and Canada.
For further information on the World University Games and results, go to www.bangkok2007.com.
Players Mentioned
