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VU Men's Golf Signs Cornerstones of the Future

November 16, 1998

Vanderbilt men's golf coach Jim Ragan announced Monday the signing of Nick Manthey and Brandt Snedeker to attend Vanderbilt University during the 1999-2000 season.

Manthey, a native of Mesa, Ariz., is one of the nation's elite junior golfers. He is ranked 11th in the nation by Golf Week magazine, which places him as the No. 6 recruit in the 1999 class.

"Nick has proven that he is one of the best players in the nation," Ragan said. "He is a hard worker with a lot of talent. As a coach, anytime you find that combination, you feel very fortunate."

Two weeks ago, Manthey recorded his second Arizona State Championship individual title while leading Red Mountain High School to its fourth consecutive team championship.

He was recently named to the American Junior Golf Association All-American Team for his five top-10 finishes in national junior golf tournaments, including third place finishes at the Freeport-McDermott and at the Hudson Invitational. A high point for Manthey came at the AJGA Boys Championship at the Dallas Athletic Club, where he shot a 12-under-par 276 to finish third.

Manthey also qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur Championships the past two years and qualified for match play at the 1998 Western Junior Championships.

Manthey will join Nashville native Brandt Snedeker as a freshman next fall at Vanderbilt. Snedeker has the reputation as a first-class college prospect and rightfully so.

He is the two-time Tennessee state high school champion and an AJGA All-American. Snedeker won an AJGA event this past summer at Oprylands Springhouse Golf Course, firing a 5-under-par 211. He also had a nice showing at The Cardinal in Greensboro, N.C., where he shot a final-round 70 to finish 13th.

"Brandt has a ton of ability and the desire to reach his potential," Ragan said. "After the first time I saw Brandt, there was no doubt he had what it takes to become a great player. I feel very lucky to have kept him in Nashville."

Snedeker also qualified for match play at the U.S. Junior Amateur Championships and racked up an 18th-place finish at the 1998 National Maxfli tournament.

"There are a lot of very good junior players right now and Nick and Brandt are two of the very best," Ragan said. "They will impact our golf team immediately and help lead our team to future success."