Tribe Golf Rated Among 25 Best Programs by Golf Digest

Guide to Colleges Lists Men #25, Women #23

08/13/07 3:35PM

WILLIAMSBURG - Hard on the heels of the PGA Championship, Golf Digest has published the 2007-08 Guide to Colleges, complete with exclusive rankings of all 792 men’s and 510 women’s golf programs. The Guide, which is aimed at helping prospective golfers choose the best college for them, ranks the programs in three ways; emphasis on the golf program itself, emphasis on academics, and balanced between the two.

William and Mary’s women’s team checked in among the nation’s top-25 in both the academic emphasis (#20) and overall ranking (#23). The College was ranked among the top 10% of all 510 programs in academics, and in the top 20% for facilities and coaches. W&M was also ranked among the top 15% in the golf emphasis rating, checking in at No. 69. Among all Colonial Athletic Association schools, William and Mary ranks second in academic emphasis and overall rating, and third in the golf emphasis.

The men’s team is similarly regarded, with ratings of No. 25 overall, No. 22 in academics, and No. 76 in golf emphasis; tops in the CAA in all three polls. The College was ranked among the top 10% nationally in facilities and coaches, and in academics. A national top 20% rating was also achieved by averaging 200 days a year when golf could be played in the Williamsburg area.

The Golf Digest ratings evaluated every college or university that offers golf on six factors: team adjusted scoring average (the average score achieved by each golfer on the team from 2003-07), individual player improvement or decline, the rate of that growth or decline per year, academic rating, climate rating, and facilities and coaches rating. A full explanation of the system, as well as the complete rankings, can be found at www.golfdigest.com/rankings/2007/collegeguide.