Finally, a championship for the Bulls — well, sort of. Brad Quiri, a senior on the USF golf team, shot a two-under-par 70 to clinch the 87th annual Florida State Amateur title.

Quiri — who seems ready to fill the shoes of 2003 team leader Oscar Fraustro in the upcoming golf season for the Bulls — held off Joe Lamielle (who actually shot a lower score on the tournament’s final day) by two strokes to nail the title. The back nine proved to be an ebb and flow of play for the 21-year-old Bull, who botched up a three-stroke lead only to regain it with a birdie on the 17th hole.

Quiri has never won a collegiate title as the number two golfer on the Bulls squad, which made him the weekend’s dark horse at Twin Eagles golf club.

He finished the tournament seven under par.

This was the first time Quiri had played in the Florida State Amateur Championship after failing to qualify the previous three years.

McCullum hires former Big East recruiter as assistant

A former rival has decided to run with the Bulls.

Greg Gary — a former player and coach for Conference USA foe Tulane — was reeled in by USF men’s basketball coach Robert McCullum and joined the staff on Monday.

Gary was an assistant at Miami during the last four years, which makes his knowledge of Big East recruiting invaluable to a program that is one year away from entering the new assistant’s former stomping grounds.

His tenure with the Hurricanes resulted in back-to-back post-season appearances: the NIT in 2001 and the Big Dance in 2002. The entire staff was subsequently axed the next season after a sub-par start.

A Tulane player from ’89- ’92 and an assistant coach at his alma mater for six seasons, the former Green Wave guy was an attractive addition for a coaching staff now bringing recruits in on the basis that they’ll be playing in the Big East soon.

“He has recruited in the Big East Conference while at Miami over the last four years; he has prepared for opponents at the Big East level,” said McCullum. ”I like his experience and his knowledge of the Big East.”

Compiled by Nick Margiasso