A team round of 297 Tuesday allowed the USF men’s golf team to climb one spot to finish sixth at the Rio Pinar Intercollegiate.

The Bulls three-round total of 887 tied them with Oral Roberts, 16 strokes behind first-place Florida Gulf Coast. UCF’s 284 Tuesday, the low round of the day, propelled the Golden Knights into second place.

The Bulls did better than in-state foes Jacksonville, Florida Atlantic and Stetson, which placed 11th through 13th to round out the 14-team field.

Rollins’ Alex Smith claimed top individual honors with his 54-hole 209.

Oscar Fraustro again led the Bulls with his two-day score of 218 to stick him 13th. For the fourth time in USF’s five fall tournaments, Fraustro had the Bulls’ lowest score. His season low is a 215 at the Raising Cane Classic Sept. 10.

Federico Mautone, who was tied with Fraustro in 13th after two rounds, placed 18th by registering a 221.

The Bulls next hit the links Monday and Tuesday for the Fall Beach Classic in Gulf Shores, Ala., as they wrap up their fall schedule. The second half of USF’s schedule will start in February and conclude in April with the Conference USA Championships in Navarre.

Bulls with big brains

The USF softball team flexed its brain power to the tune of a 3.236 grade point average for the 2001-02 school year. The Bulls’ lofty standing placed the team 21st in the nation, according to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

“This is a tremendous credit to a lot of people,” USF Director of Athletics Lee Roy Selmon said. “Most importantly, the students themselves deserve the credit. Ultimately, they are the ones who must balance their academic and athletic pursuits.”

USF’s mark ranked the Bulls higher than Harvard. Detroit Mercy was first in the country at 3.539, and Harvard compiled a 3.258. In Conference USA, only Saint Louis (3.354) had a better average than USF. No other university in the state posted better grades than the Bulls.

“Ken Eriksen and his coaching staff also deserve recognition for their commitment to recruiting players who are committed to academics and reinforcing that message,” Selmon said. “And Phyllis LaBaw and her staff in academic services also play a big part in the many success stories involving academics.”

Staff report