Dayton Flyers

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Atlantic 10 Conference named Dayton Flyers Sean Keating the Player of the Week and George Rhode III the Rookie of the Week after their efforts at the 2012 Butler Spring Invitational.

The Flyers finished second out of 10 teams at the Butler University Spring Invitational last weekend thanks in part to Keating and Rhode's efforts.

“I’m happy for both of them,” head coach Gip Hoagland said. “They work hard and deserve everything they get. Those are two outstanding student-athletes.”

Keating captured the individual championship at the 2012 Butler University Spring Invitational by one stroke. Keating, who shot a career-best 66 in round one, fired a 76 in the second round to capture the title. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native’s two-under 142 total was one stroke better than Detroit's Lukas Kim.

It was Keating's first career collegiate individual championship and Dayton's first since Chris Woeste won the University of Kentucky Bluegrass Invitational last spring. The career-best 66 in round one also matched a season low for a Flyer.

“For Sean it was his first collegiate victory and I couldn’t be happier for him,” Hoagland said. “He gained a lot of experience going to the US Amateur this summer and that momentum has carried toward this season."

Rhode finished in a tie for 20th at the Butler Spring Invitational. Rhode shot a season-best 72 and recorded an 81 in round two to total a 153. The Cincinatti native’s top-20 finish is also the highest in his brief Dayton career.

“For George he earned his spot last week and he played a great first round,” Hoagland said. “He struggled a bit in the second round, but it’s a learning experience. All freshmen go through that. I’m confident he will learn and get better.”

This is the third time in Keating's career he has been named A-10 Player of the Week. The previous two times happened when he was named the A-10 Player and Rookie of the Week on April 19, 2010 and the Player of the Week on Sept. 21, 2011. For Rhode III, this is his first career A-10 weekly honor.

Up next for Dayton men's golf is the NYX Hoosier Invitational from April 7-8 in Bloomington, Ind. The event, hosted by Indiana University, will take place at the IU Golf Course.