HOUSTON – Houston Baptist freshman Preston Stanley fired an opening-round 69 and was one stroke off the lead, but followed with a 76 to drop to a tie for 13^th at 1-over par 145 to lead the Huskies as they are in 15^th place after the first day of the Rice Intercollegiate at the 7,184-yard, par-72 Westwood Golf Club.
 
Freshman Brandon Wilhide shot a 76 in the first round, but rebounded with a 1-under par 71 to stand tied for 27^th at 147. Senior Andrew Rollins is tied for 38^th at 149 with scores of 73 and 76, while senior Mark Slater is tied for 63^rd at 153, shooting 76 and 77. Freshman Jeffrey Merrell is tied for 69^th at 155 with rounds of 78 and 77, and junior Hudson Hansard is tied for 72^nd at 156, shooting 80 and 76.
 
Northwestern's Eric Chun and Air Force's Kyle Westmoreland are tied for the lead at 3-under par 141, each posting a round of 70 and 71. New Mexico State's Zachary Fullerton grabbed the first-round lead with the lowest round of the day at 68, but followed with a 74 to fall to a tie for third with UT-San Antonio's Ryan Werre.
 
Northwestern leads the tournament at even-par 576, three strokes ahead of Florida Gulf Coast, six ahead of the University of Houston, and seven ahead of Wichita State and Louisiana Tech, which are tied for fourth.
 
The tournament concludes with the third and final round Tuesday beginning at 8 a.m.