Former Minnesota men’s golfers Aaron Barber and Simon Nash will be competing in the Scholarship America Showdown at Troy Burne Golf Club in Hudson, Wis., beginning Thursday.
The tournament, which is part of the Nationwide Tour, runs through Sunday and has a purse of $525,000. University alumnus Tom Lehman partnered with the tour to create the tournament last year.
Barber plays on the Nationwide Tour regularly, while Nash received a sponsor’s exemption.
Barber played for the Gophers from 1994-96, earning All-America honors in 1996. He is currently 53rd on the Nationwide money list, earning $51,786 in 12 tournaments.
Nash played from 2001-03 and was an All-American in 2001 and 2003. A native of Australia, he is currently 11th in the Order of Merit on the Australasian PGA Tour with earnings of $79,002.
Grier Team USA tryout
Gophers men’s basketball senior Vincent Grier will attend the USA Basketball men’s trials and training camp July 28-Aug. 4 in Colorado Springs, Colo.
While there, Grier will have an opportunity to make the USA team that will play at the World University Games held Aug. 11-22 in Ismir, Turkey.
Grier was a first-team All-Big Ten selection last season, his first at Minnesota. He averaged 17.9 points, which ranked third in the Big Ten.
Williams to host NCAAs
Minnesota’s women’s basketball team has been selected as one of eight hosts for the 2007 NCAA Tournament first and second rounds.
Williams Arena also held the first and second rounds in 2004 and last season.
“Hosting an event of this magnitude requires a tremendous amount of time and effort by many people in the athletic department,” Athletics Director Joel Maturi said in a press release. “We are fortunate to have a staff committed to hosting a first-class event.”
In 2004, Williams Arena drew a second-round record for the Mideast Region when 13,425 watched the Gophers beat Kansas State. Last season, the numbers were down a couple thousand against St. Francis (Pa.) and Virginia.
