ELMSFORD, N.Y. (June 3, 2008) - Three Met Area collegiate players were recently named to the Division I PING All-Region Team and are now eligible PING All-America honors. Siena men's golf junior co-captain Dan Abbondandolo, 2007 Met Amateur quarterfinalist Kevin Foley of Penn State and Mike Ballo of St. John’s and Woodway Country Club in Darien, Conn.

 

Abbondandolo, who plays out of Brooklake CC on Long Island, won his first career individual victory when he captured the Cornell Invitational in the fall and followed that up with another win the following week at the Hofstra Invitational at Bethpage State Park’s Red Course. Abbondandolo picked up right where he left off when the spring season began with wins at the LIU Invitational and four top-10 finishes in his last four events. Abbondandolo was also named to the All-MAAC Team.

 

Penn State University sophomore Kevin Foley of Somerville, N.J., and Neshanic Valley GC, recently finished in a tie for 23rd place at the 111th NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships in West Lafayette, Ind. Foley, who tied for low amateur honors at the 2007 Met Open, paced a Penn State team that finished 25th in the Championships after earning just the program's third-ever berth in the NCAA field in the modern era.

 

Sophomore Michael Ballo Jr. was instrumental to St. John’s success this season as he led them to the title at the Roadrunner Intercollegiate in San Antonio, placing second overall. Ballo notched four top-10 finishes and was ranked as high as No. 72 in the Golfstat Cup Rankings. Ballo battled back through a late season shoulder injury and is currently ranked No. 153 in the nation.

 

PING All-Region teams consist of the top 15 individuals in their region in the Individual Ranking System. Additionally, any player ranked in the top-75 according to Golfstat or the Sagarin rankings not included in their region's top-15 are added to their All-Region team.

 

Division I PING All-Region Team (Mid-Atlantic):

Dan Abbondandolo, Siena

Mike Ballo Jr., St. John's

Michael Blodgett, Penn

Keegan Bradley, St. John's

Chris Gold, Maryland

Harvind Groft, Penn State

T.J. Howe, Penn State

Kevin Foley, Penn State

Robert Lindstrom, Richmond

Michael Mulieri, Loyola (Md.)

Brent Paladino, William & Mary

Robert Rohanna, Penn State

Richard Schenz-Davis, Liberty

Donnie Shin, Maryland

Jordan Utley, Richmond