April 2, 2002

TUCSON, Ariz. - University of Arizona men's golfer Chris Nallen was tabbed as one of 20 semifinalists for the Ben Hogan Award in an announcement made by the Friends of Golf and Colonial Country Club in association with the Golf Coaches Association of America. The award is given to the nation's outstanding male college golfer.

Nallen, a sophomore from Blairstown, N.J., currently leads Arizona with a 71.41 stroke average through nine events in 2001-02. Fifteen of his 27 rounds this season have been at par of better, including six rounds in the 60s. Nallen has two top-five and four top-10 finishes to his credit this season, and is coming off a top-five effort at last week's Oregon Duck Invitational in which he carded a five-under 211 total, including a season-low round of 65.

All told this season, Nallen has finished in the top 20 in eight of nine events. Four of his tournament totals have been at par or better, including a career-low eight-under-par 208 at the Taylor Made Red River Classic in October. A third team All-America and Soft Spikes national all-Freshman pick last season, Nallen has a 71.64 stroke average for his collegiate career.

Founded in 1990, the Ben Hogan Award will be presented on Monday, May 13, at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. The winner is a student-athlete who exhibits excellence in academics and college golf as selected by the GCAA. The Hogan Award takes into consideration a player's collegiate and amateur record from May 1, 2001, to May 1, 2002.

Nallen and the Wildcats will next be in action on April 5-7 at the U.S. Collegiate Championships in Tucson. The 54-hole event will be contested at Tucson National Golf Course, a par 72, 7,138-yard layout.

Ben Hogan Award Semifinalists (listed alphabetically)

Name            	Yr.	SchoolClint Colbert   	Sr.	Savannah College of Art & DesignBrendon de Jonge	Jr.	Virginia TechBill Haas       	So.	Wake ForestKevin Haefner    	Sr.	AuburnJason Hartwick   	So.	TexasRyan Hybl       	So.	GeorgiaBrock Mackenzie 	So.	WashingtonHunter Mahan    	So.	Oklahoma StateTroy Matteson   	Jr.	Georgia TechGraeme McDowell 	Jr.	UABKris Mikkelsen   	Sr.	Georgia TechChris Nallen    	So.	ArizonaRob Oppenheim   	Sr.	Rollins CollegeChez Reavie     	So.	Arizona StateSteve Sokol     	Sr.	Florida SouthernKevin Stadler   	Sr.	USCD.J. Trahan     	Jr.	ClemsonCamilo Villegas 	So.	FloridaNick Watney     	Jr.	Fresno StateLee Williamson   	Sr.	Purdue