Florida Atlantic University head men's basketball coach Matt Doherty announced the hiring of Rex Walters to his basketball staff. Walters is the first addition to Doherty's FAU staff and brings a wealth of experience, including a standout collegiate and professional playing career.

"I'm real proud to have Rex on staff with me," said Doherty. "I was very fortunate to have coached someone like him at Kansas. He's a hard-worker, a team player, and did well in school while going on to have a seven-year NBA career. He'll be a tremendous role model for our players."

Walters most recently spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Valparaiso University under Homer Drew. Prior to that, he served as a volunteer assistant coach at Blue Valley Northwest High School in Overland Park, KS, helping to lead the Huskies to the 2003 Kansas Sub State Championship.

"I'm just very excited to be a part of the men's basketball program at Florida Atlantic University," said Walters. "There's no doubt in my mind we can bring a winner to Boca Raton. I believe in Matt Doherty and what he stands for as a man and as a coach. He has been an inspiration in my life both as a player and as a coach. I'm ready to get to work and do everything I can to help our student-athletes both on and off the court."

As a collegiate player, Walters starred at both Northwestern and Kansas. As a freshman and sophomore at Northwestern, he was named honorable mention All-Big Ten. After transferring to Kansas, he led the Jayhawks to a two-year mark of 56-12 and a pair of Big Eight championships.

Walters, a guard, was an All-Big Eight selection both years with the Jayhawks, playing for Roy Williams. His senior season in 1992-93 coincided with Doherty's first on Williams' staff as an assistant. That was the year Walters helped lead the team to the Final Four and was named Big Eight Athlete-of-the-Year.

Following his collegiate career, Walters was selected no. 16 overall in the 1993 NBA Draft by the New Jersey Nets. He played his first two seasons with the Nets before playing two more with the Philadelphia 76ers. He concluded his NBA career playing three seasons with the Miami Heat under Pat Riley.

After seven years in the NBA, Walters played professionally for two seasons in Spain, including stints with Leon and the Canary Islands. During that time, he also played for the Kansas City Knights of the American Basketball Association, helping the team to the ABA title in 2002.

Walters is a 1993 graduate of Kansas, earning a BS in education. He and his wife, Deanna, have four children, Addison (8), Drew (6), Riley (3), and Gunner (2).

Strong Finish for FAU Men?s Golf

Florida Atlantic University closed the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship on a high note Wednesday, firing a two-under 282 in the final round of the three-round tournament. The 282 was the lowest of the 12-team field as the Owls finished the championship in eighth place. The competition, hosted by Belmont University, took place at the par-71, 6,759-yard Legends Club in Franklin, TN.

Marco Morales and Kevin Clark each fired a one-under 70 on Wednesday, while Tommi Suri and Michael Berger posted 71 each. Berger finished tied for 17th overall with a three-over 216. Morales was tied for 22nd with a 217. Suri finished at 218, Clark at 222, and Ben Gardner at 223.

As a team, the Owls posted a three-day total of 866, which was 14 over-par. Georgia State won the championship with an 846. North Florida was second (850), followed by UCF (851), Campbell and Mercer (860 each), Belmont (862) and Troy (864). FAU finished seven strokes ahead of Jacksonville.

FAU Football Schedule Released

Florida Atlantic University's football 2005 football schedule will feature Kansas, Minnesota, Oklahoma State and Louisville, as well as a full Sun Belt Conference line-up, announced FAU Athletics Director Craig Angelos, Thursday.

"We are excited about being able to raise the visibility of our program by playing this difficult schedule," said FAU athletics director Craig Angelos. "Being able to play OSU at home and on Thursday night on ESPN/ESPN2 is a tremendous boost to our program. It is also a great opportunity to play three big-time football programs along with our Sun Belt games. This is the beginning of a great journey into (the) I-A ranks and we are going to be up for the challenge."

The Owls will open their inaugural I-A campaign September 3 against Big 12 Conference member University of Kansas. The Jayhawks finished 2005 with a 4-7 record, but excitement abounds with 52 lettermen returning, including 15 starters, under fourth-year head coach Mark Magino. The game will be third-consecutive season opener against a Division I-A opponent.

The Owls will return home with just four days to practice before playing host to Oklahoma State University, a 2005 Alamo Bowl participant and a team that finished its last campaign 7-5. The game will not only be played at Dolphins Stadium on Thursday, September 8, but it has been selected to be the first of the season as part of the Sun Belt Conference's television package. The game will mark the first Owls home contest to feature a Division I-A opponent that is not a member of the Sun Belt and will also be the first time FAU has hosted a "Bowl" participant.

A Thursday night game provided an opportunity for the Owls to play a high caliber team in South Florida, build upon its young fan base and to play on national television.

The Owls will return to the road traveling to its most northern opponent in the program's five seasons to face the University of Minnesota, September 17. The Golden Gophers ended 2004 with a 7-4 record and an appearance in the Music City Bowl representing the Big Ten Conference.

FAU will then open its inaugural season as a full member of the Sun Belt Conference with the opportunity to play for a championship and New Orleans Bowl appearance against the University of Louisiana-Monroe, September 24, at Lockhart Stadium. The two teams met in 2004 with the Indians handing the Owls their first loss of the season.

On October 1, the Owls travel to Louisville, KY, head coach Howard Schnellenberger's hometown and stomping ground for ten seasons, to face one of the top teams in the nation, University of Louisville. The Cardinals have continued with the blueprint laid out by Schnellenberger in the mid-1980s. U of L suffered just one loss in 2004 and that came at the hands of another school formerly coached by Schnellenberger, University of Miami.

"Playing the four non-conference games is a stroke of God-sent luck," said head coach Howard Schnellenberger. "To have a Big Ten, two Big 12, and Big

East opponents on our schedule at this stage of development is an accomplishment. The next best thing to playing for a national championship is playing the most difficult teams you can schedule, and that is what we have done."

One week later, FAU will play Louisiana-Lafayette in Lafayette and will then return home to host Middle Tennessee State University for the first time in three meetings. FAU notched the program's first Division I-A victory against MTSU in 2003, a thrilling come-from-behind win, in just the 22nd game of the program's existence. FAU dealt a similar hand in 2004 as one of five-straight road victories to begin the season.

The final four games will feature Arkansas State October 22 in Jonesboro, AK, and then two games against 2005 Bowl participants and perennial Sun Belt powers. The Owls will once again travel to Troy University, who played in the Silicon Classic and finished 7-5, November 5 in Troy and will then play the Sun Belt Champion North Texas November 12, at Lockhart. North Texas has captured the Sun Belt title the last four seasons. FAU upended the Mean Green 20-13 last season in Denton, TX.

The final game on the 2005 slate will be the fourth annual Shula Bowl featuring the Owls, who have won the first three contests, at Florida Internatoinal, November 26.

FAU lost the bulk of its starters when 26 seniors ended their four-year career with a 17-10 victory against FIU in last season's Shula Bowl. Forty-seven players with game experience will return to begin the fifth season with 52 underclassmen expected to play.

Date/Day, Opponent, Location
Sep. 3/Sat, at Kansas, Memorial Stadium
Sep. 8/Thu, Oklahoma State, Dolphins Stadium
Sep. 17/Sat, at Minnesota, Metrodome
Sep. 24/Sat, *Louisiana-Monroe, Lockhart Stadium
Oct. 1/Sat, at Louisville, Papa John Cardinal Stadium
Oct. 8/Sat, at *La.-Lafayette, Cajun Field
Oct. 15/Sat, *Middle Tennessee, Lockhart Stadium
Oct. 22/Sat, *at Arkansas State, Indian Stadium
Oct. 29/Sat, Open
Nov. 5/Sat, * at Troy Movie, Gallery Stadium
Nov. 12/Sat, *North Texas, Lockhart Stadium
Nov. 19/Sat, Open
Nov. 26/Sat, at *Fla. International, FIU Stadium

*Sun Belt Games

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Report courtesy of FAU Sports Information Department ? Katrina McCormack, Assistant Athletic Director SID; John McMahon, Assistant SID and Radio Play-by-Play; and Dawn Elston, Assistant SID. For more information about FAU Sports, go to the FAU web site at www.fausports.com