BOWLING GREEN, Fla. – Connecticut, which began the day in fourth place, shot a 3-under-par 285 team score to grab the lead after the second round of the BIG EAST Men’s Golf Championship Presented by JEEP at the Streamsong Blue Course in Bowling Green, Fla.  Freshman Caleb Manuel led the Husky rise with a red-hot 6-under-par 66. 
 
The top five teams are separated by only 13 strokes.  The Huskies lead second-place Marquette by two.  Third-place Butler is 10 strokes behind with fourth-place Seton Hall 11 strokes back.  Fifth-place Villanova trails by 13. 
 
On the individual leaderboard, Butler’s Michael Cascino remained the leader at 6-under 138.  Cascino shot 66 in the first round and an even-par 72 in the second round.  Marquette’s Hunter Eichhorn is second, one-stroke back at 139 (-5).  After a 68 in the first round, he shot 71 in the second round.  Manuel is third at 140 (-4).
 
Manuel’s 66 was the second straight day a BIG EAST golfer hit that mark.  The 66 ties for the third-best score in BIG EAST Tournament history.  Manuel made seven birdies, including three straight on the back nine.  Jared Nelson shot a 71 for a two-round 145 (+1) and is tied for 10th.  Rodrigo Sanchez and Jimmy Paradise are tied for 12th at 146 (+2).  Sanchez shot 73, while Paradise carded a 1-under 71.
 
Marquette also was in second place after the first round.  In addition to Eichhorn’s play, redshirt sophomore Nicolas Evangelio moved up eight spots into fourth place after firing a 3-under 69 in the second round.
 
In addition to Cascino’s contributions for Butler, junior Raymond Sullivan shot 1-over 74 and has 143 (-1) for the two rounds.  Graduate student Logan Sabins shot par 72 for a second straight day for a 144.  Sullivan is tied for fifth.  Sabins is tied for seventh.   
 
Seton Hall senior Andres Acevedo shot a 74 and is even-par 144 for the tournament and tied for seventh.  The Pirates moved up one slot to fourth place.  Senior Gregor Tait shot 73 for a two-round 147 (+3) and is tied for 15^th.
 
Villanova had a strong first round and was in third place.  In the second round, the Wildcats slipped to fifth.  Junior Noah Peck was third individually with a 3-under 69.  He shot a 75 in the second round and is even-par 144 tied for seventh.  Grad student Ambrose Abbracciamento shot a 73 for a two-round 147 (+3) and is tied for 15th.
 
DePaul moved up two places to sixth when they improved their second round team score by nine strokes to 293.  Conor Glennon shot 2-under 70 to be 145 (+1) for the two rounds and is tied for 10th.  Artemiy Yalovenko shot 72 and is one stroke behind his teammate at 146 (+2).   
 
Xavier is seventh, one position lower than its first-round standing.  The Musketeers have been paced by senior Imaad Qureshi, who shot 75 for a two-round 147 (+3).  He is tied for 15th. 
 
Creighton fell to eighth place.  After an even-par 72 in the first round, junior Nate Vontz recorded a 1-under 71.  He has a two-round total of 143 and is tied for fifth.  Charlie Zielinski is tied for 15th at 147 (+3) after carding a 74.
 
Georgetown remained ninth after two rounds.  Chris Doody has been the Hoyas’ top golfer.  The grad student leads the Hoyas with a 9-over 153.  He shot 80 in the second round. 
 
The third round of the BIG EAST Championship begins Wednesday at 8 a.m. ET.  The BIG EAST team winner earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.  Should the individual champion not be a member of the championship team, he will also earn a spot in the NCAA Championship field as an individual.
 
Team Scores – Second Round
1.    Connecticut        292-285--577 (+1)
2.    Marquette           286-293--579 (+3)
3.    Butler                   285-301--586 (+10)
4.    Seton Hall            296-291--587 (+11)
5.    Villanova             290-299--589 (+13)
6.    DePaul                302-293--595 (+19)
7.    Xavier                   297-301--598 (+22)
8.    Creighton            299-303--602 (+26)
9.    Georgetown       314-311--625 (+49)
 
 
Top Individual Scores – Second Round
1.    Michael Cascino, Butler                66-72--138 (-6)
2.    Hunter Eichhorn, Marquette         68-71--139 (-5)
3.    Caleb Manuel, UConn                    74-66--140 (-4)
4.    Nicolas Evangelio, Marquette      73-69--142 (-2)
T5.  Nate Vontz, Creighton                   72-71--143 (-1)
T5.  Raymond Sullivan, Butler               70-73--143 (-1)
T7.  Andres Acevedo, Seton Hall          70-74--144 (E)
T7.  Logan Sabins, Butler                       72-72--144 (E)
T7.  Noah Peck, Villanova                      69-75--144 (E)
T10.Conor Glennon, DePaul              75-70--145 (+1)
T10.Jared Nelson, UConn                     74-71 –145 (+1)