March 30, 2006

WACO, Texas - Baylor senior Ryan Baca (Richmond, Texas) was named one of 10 semifinalists for The 2006 Ben Hogan Award, presented annually to the top men's Division I, II or III, NAIA or junior college golfer taking into account all collegiate and amateur competition during the last 12 months.

Baca is currently ranked fifth in the nation according to the latest Golfweek rankings. He has posted three victories to become Baylor's all-time leader with six and has finished in the top 10 in seven of eight events, six of those in the top five. Baca is on pace to shatter the school stroke average record, averaging 69.96. He broke the Baylor 54-hole record with a 199 to win the UTSA Intercollegiate and fired a career-low 64 in the opening round, one off the school record.

Bank of America, in cooperation with Colonial Country Club, The Friends of Golf and the Golf Coaches Association of America sponsor the award. Georgia Tech's Roberto Castro, East Tennessee State's Rhys Davies, Florida's Matt Every, UNLV's Andres Gonzales, Georgia teammates Brian Harman and Chris Kirk, Oklahoma's Anthony Kim, Oklahoma State's Pablo Martin and Wake Forest's Kyle Reifers are the other semifinalists.

The Hogan Award selection committee will name the honor's three finalists on May 2. The three finalists will attend The Hogan Award banquet on Saturday, May 13 at Colonial Country Club in Ft. Worth, Texas. The recipient will be announced at the banquet, which is the Saturday prior to the Bank of America Colonial PGA Tour event.

The Bears continue to hold strong in the polls this week as they are still ranked eighth according to Golfweek, ninth according to Golfstat and 11th in the Bridgestone/GCAA Coaches Poll.

Baylor returns to action Monday and Tuesday, April 3-4 at the Morris Williams Intercollegiate at Austin Country Club in Austin, Texas.