June 26, 2003

TOLEDO, OH - University of Toledo men's golf coach John Connelly has announced his resignation in order to pursue a career as a professional golfer, University of Toledo Athletic Director Michael O'Brien announced today.

"I want to thank John for the time he served as our men's golf coach," said O'Brien. "All of us obviously wish him well in all of his future golf endeavors."

Connelly served as the Rockets' head coach in the 2002-03 campaign and guided UT to its sixth straight NCAA Regional appearance last season. Toledo finished in a 14th-place tie with Ohio State at the regional, five strokes away from 10th-place Wichita State and a trip to its third straight NCAA Championship.

"At this time I have decided to return to my career as a professional golfer," Connelly said. "I want to go back on tour and try to pick up where I left off before coming to Toledo. I wish the program nothing but the best, and I believe it's headed in the right direction. I expect the returning players to continue to improve and keep UT as one of the nation's top programs."

A 1990 UT graduate, Connelly earned first-team All-MAC honors as a sophomore and senior before playing as a professional for 11 years (1991-2001). He won 56 professional events including three state opens. Highlighting his career was a 67th-place finish in the 1995 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills in Long Island, NY. Some of Connelly's other achievements included recording the low round of the 1995 Nike Tour at the Nike Ozarks open with course-record 61 and being the leading money winner on the 2002 PGA Tournament Series.