BLAIRSVILLE, Pa. - For the third time in as many years, Penn State Altoona maintained its stronghold on the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference golf scene, winning a third straight league championship Sunday afternoon at Chestnut Ridge Golf Resort and earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Head coach Tom Koehle's squad fired a two-day team score of 620, besting runner-up Penn State Behrend by 13 strokes.  The Lions led the championship by 16 shots after Saturday’s opening round.

"We played extremely well on Saturday which allowed us a bit of a cushion today," noted Koehle.  "I'm very proud of the guys and feel very fortunate to have won the league championship three straight years.  It is a testament to the stability and consistency of the program, and we are looking forward to again representing the AMCC on a national stage."

Junior Jake Biltz (Hollidaysburg, PA/Hollidaysburg) carded rounds of 72 and 75 to finish second in the individual standings.  Freshman Josh Swires (Cresson, PA/Penn Cambria) shot 75-81 and claimed fourth place, while classmate Brad Behling (Pittsburgh, PA/Upper St. Clair) finished sixth in the 39-man field after scoring a 78-80.

Sophomore Steve Moritz (Stroudsburg, PA/Notre Dame) shaved seven strokes off his day one 86, shooting a final round 79 to help keep Altoona in the lead.  Newcomer Matt Davis (Dillsburg, PA/Northern) was the fifth Lion competitor and concluded the event with an 80-86.

Penn State Behrend standout Joe Nelson captured the AMCC Individual Championship after turning in a two-day score of 145 (73-72).  Medaille (654), Pitt-Greensburg (655), and La Roche (659) finished third through fifth, respectively, in the eight-team field.  Frostburg State and league newcomer Franciscan do not sponsor golf.

Six women's golfers including Penn State Altoona sophomore Ashley Piper (Martinsburg, PA/Central) competed for the AMCC Women's Individual title on Sunday.  Piper handily won the honor by shooting an impressive 78.

The title is the fourth in program history for the Lion men's golf squad with the others coming in 2003, 2006, and 2007.  Only Pitt-Greensburg has won more consecutive league championships (four straight from 1997-2000).

Although the Lions still have a handful of fall matches remaining, Koehle's squad guaranteed itself a spring season beginning in April and leading up to the 2009 NCAA Division III Tournament.  This year's national tournament will be held at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida, from May 13-16.

Koehle will take a five-man roster to nationals that could include Biltz, Moritz, Swires, Davis, and Behling.  Biltz was a member of both league championship and NCAA Tournament teams in 2006 and 2007, while Moritz was part of both last season.  The Lions missed the 36-hole cut at each of the previous two national tournaments.

Next up for Penn State Altoona is a noon tee time at the Westminster College Invitational on Monday.  The Lions host the Eastern College Athletic Conference South Region Championships at Iron Masters Country Club on October 12-13.

BLAIRSVILLE, Pa. - Led by junior Jake Biltz (Hollidaysburg, PA/Hollidaysburg), the Penn State Altoona men's golf team has taken a 16-stroke lead over the rest of the field after day one of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Championships on Saturday afternoon at Chestnut Ridge Golf Resort. 

After the first day of action, Altoona had four golfers in the top twelve on the overall leaderboard.

Biltz's 72 was good for first place on the day, while teammates Josh Swires (Cresson, PA/Penn Cambria) and Brad Behling (Pittsburgh, PA/Upper St. Clair) finished with a 75 and a 78, respectively.  Freshman Matt Davis (Dillsburg, PA/Northern) carded an 80 for the Lions, which places him 12th overall.

Penn State Behrend's Joe Nelson and La Roche's Jon Austin each shot a 73, which ties them for second place in the contest.  

Altoona will look to continue its stellar play on Sunday, Oct. 5, for the second day of the AMCC Championships at Chestnut Ridge. Penn State Altoona is the two-time defending conference champion, and with a victory Sunday, would advance to their third consecutive NCAA Division III Tournament.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Freshman Josh Swires (Cresson, PA/Penn Cambria) fired a 74 and captured the individual crown at the La Roche Invitational Tuesday afternoon to lead the Penn State Altoona men's golf team to a runner-up finish at Wildwood Golf Club.

The Lions accumulated a 4-man team score of 318, three shots behind tournament champion Penn State Behrend Blue which totaled a 315.

Sophomore Steve Moritz (Stroudsburg, PA/Notre Dame) shot an 80 for Altoona, while classmate Jake Biltz (Hollidaysburg, PA/Hollidaysburg) and freshman Brad Behling (Pittsburgh, PA/Upper St. Clair) each carded 82 to set the team score.

Newcomer Matt Davis (Dillsburg, PA/Northern) was the final Lion scorer with an 83.

La Roche (327), Pitt-Bradford (340), and Penn State Behrend White (342) finished third through fifth, respectively, in the seven team field.

Next up is the 2008 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference championships on October 4-5 at Chestnut Ridge Golf Club in Blairsville, PA.  Penn State Altoona, the 2-time defending champion, will try to win its third straight league title and advance to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the third consecutive season.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Penn State Altoona men's golfer Jake Biltz (Hollidaysburg, PA/Hollidaysburg) and women's soccer goalkeeper Lindsay Raspanti (Fairless Hills, PA/Pennsbury) were named Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Players of the Week for the week of September 29, the league office announced Monday.

Biltz won the Mount Aloysius Invitational with the tournament's only under-par round, a 1-under 71.  At Penn State Behrend, Biltz played his final 15 holes at 1-under to shoot 74 and tie for 8th place.  The Lions won the team title at Mount Aloysius and finished runner-up at Penn State Behrend on a tiebreaker.

Raspanti enhanced her league-leading .22 goals against average with a shutout win over AMCC member Hilbert, bringing her season total to three.  The freshman has allowed just one goal in 414 minutes of action.

The Lion golfers are in action Tuesday at the La Roche Invitational, while the women's soccer team hosts Pitt-Greensburg Tuesday at 5:00 PM at Spring Run Stadium.

FINDLEY LAKE, Ny. - Behind a season-low round of 71 from freshman Brad Behling (Pittsburgh, PA/Upper St. Clair), the Penn State Altoona men's golf team finished second of 13 teams at the Penn State Behrend Invitational at Peek'n Peak Resort Thursday afternoon.

The Lions and Westminster actually tied for the tournament championship with identical 4-man team scores of 296, but the Titans won the tiebreaker because their number five player carded a better score than Altoona's fifth golfer.

Along with Behling, junior Jake Biltz (Hollidaysburg, PA/Hollidaysburg), freshman Matt Davis (Dillsburg, PA/Northern), and sophomore Steve Moritz (Stroudsburg, PA/Notre Dame) fired solid rounds and contributed to the Altoona team total.  Biltz shot a 74, Davis scored a 75, and Moritz turned in a 76.

Freshman Josh Swires (Cresson, PA/Penn Cambria) was the Lions' fifth player and shot an 83.

Grove City (301), Medaille (304) and Penn State Behrend's Blue squad (306) rounded out the top five team finishers.

Penn State Altoona travels to the La Roche Invitational on September 30 for a final tune up before the 2008 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Championships on October 4-5.