Nov. 17, 2004

Champaign, Ill. - Illinois men's golf head coach Mike Small announced that three prep golfers have signed national letters of intent with the Fighting Illini. Matt Hoffman, Zach Barlow and Jonathon Krick will all join the Illini program next fall.

Hoffman hails from Thornhill, Ontario and is a senior at St. Robert Catholic High School. He was sidelined for the majority of 2004 due to a broken leg, but returned from injury to win the Toronto High School Championship. Hoffman is also a member of the Ontario Junior Team.

Barlow is from Percy, Ill. and attends Trico High School. He has twice earned All-State honors and was the 2003 Illinois Class A state champion during his junior year. Barlow advanced to match play this past summer at the US Junior Amateur, held at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.

Krick attends Notre Dame High School in Peoria, Ill. He was named the 2004 Peoria Journal Star Golfer of the Year after winning five tournaments during his senior season. In 2003, Krick won the Illinois Junior Amateur and was named the Junior Player of the Year by the Chicago District Golf Association (CDGA).

"We are extremely excited to add three very talented players to our program in Matt, Zach and Jonathon," Small said. "The future of our program remains in good hands due to the high caliber of student-athletes that we continue to recruit."