The host Bearcats defeated 17 other squads at the Saint Vincent Invitational, held at the Latrobe Country Club.

With a cumulative team score of 309, the SVC Gold squad finished two strokes ahead of Washington & Jefferson for the team title of the largest event in Saint Vincent history.  Doug Mehall led the Bearcats individually, shooting a 40 on the front nine and a 36 on the back to finish with a 76, good for sixth overall.

The Bearcats' Devin Gmitter shot a 77, Adam Agin and Matt Bronkar each a 78, and Jeff Varga 82 to round out the top five SVC finishers. 

Saint Vincent fielded two squads of five, as the Saint Vincent Green team finished 11th, with a cumulative score of 339.  Jon Luczka shot an 80, Adam Yingling an 82, Ben Lenhart 86, and Jason Hammel 91.

Jared Schmader of Clarion University took the individual title, shooting an even par 72, while Gavin Smith of IUP and Mike Grasso and Marc Fillari, both from Washington & Jefferson, tied for second with scores of 74.

"This was a huge win and a teriffic event," said Saint Vincent head coach Dr. Tom Cline.  "We defeated a host of very strong schools, from both NCAA Division II and III.  It was a beautiful day for golf at one of the top courses around, and I couldn't be more pleased."

It was the second team title for the Bearcats this season, as the team also captured first at Carnegie Mellon exactly one week ago.  SVC also boasts second place finishes at invitationals hosted by Westminster and Waynesburg.

The Bearcats will now return to the course, and wrap up the 2008 season, at the Presidents' Athletic Conference Championship, to be played at the Oak Tree Golf Club in West Middlesex next Monday and Tuesday.

                              COMPLETE TEAM SCORES

1) Saint Vincent Gold - 309
2) Washington & Jefferson - 311
3) Clarion - 314
4) Thomas More - 319
5) Indiana University (PA) - 320
6) Penn State-Altoona - 321
7) Mercyhurst - 332
T8) Davis & Elkins - 333
      Seton Hill - 333
10) Westminster - 338
11) Saint Vincent Green - 339
T12) Waynesburg - 342
        Medaille - 342
14) Bethany - 352
15) Slippery Rock - 357
16) Grove City - 375
17) Thiel - 386
18) Pitt-Greensburg - 394

PHOTO: SVC's Doug Mehall lines up a putt at the 2008 Saint Vincent Invitational