It is amazing what a week off and a trip to Florida can do for a golf team.

Marquette ran away with the inaugural Big East/MAC Challenge this weekend in Winter Garden, Fla., shooting a season-best 12-under, 852, to win the 54-hole tournament. The Golden Eagles finished 11 strokes ahead of second place South Florida.

"We all felt that we were close to playing well together," said head coach Tim Grogan. "It wasn't spectacular golf from one person. It was each person taking care of his responsibility."

Marquette's victory included a team-record for lowest single round in a tournament with its final round 12-under, 276. The previous low round for the team was 280 at the Xavier Invitational in the fall of 2003.

"We all played the way we were capable of," said freshman Mike Van Sickle, "the results, especially in the final round, showed that."

The players who didn't qualify to play with the team also made the trip. They were able to compete as individuals and revel in the victory with their teammates.

"The excitement of winning a tournament and having the whole team there, it was great," Grogan explained.

Marquette placed three golfers in the top-10 individually. Van Sickle shook off a recent cold streak and finished tied for third. He continued his candidacy for Big East Freshman of the Year, shooting 71, 72 and 68 to finish five-under, 211. Senior Nathan Colson and sophomore Ted Gray each shot one-under, 215, to tie for ninth. Mark Cimarolli of Ohio shot nine-under, 207 to win the tournament by three strokes.

"This was our last fall tournament and we wanted to show off how well we could play as a team," Grogan said. "This will give us a lot positive thoughts through the winter."

Marquette was also able to size up its Big East competitors before the spring begins. The 11-team field included six teams from the Big East that Marquette will compete against this spring.

"With this being our first year in the Big East, this is a big year for us to make a statement that we can compete," Grogan said.

So far this season, Marquette is 7-1 against Big East competition, losing only to Louisville at the Xavier Invitational. This gives the team plenty of hope and some high expectations going into the heart of their schedule this spring.

"Looking at our play this fall, winning the Big East tournament is a reasonable goal," Van Sickle said. "Reaching the NCAA tournament (by winning either the Big East or its regional), which would be a first for MU golf, is possible for this team."

For now, however, the golfers will be able to sleep in a little later and hit the books, because the golfers will take a break from team workouts until next semester.

"It's important that the guys get a little time off to relax and take a break," Grogan explained. "A lot of them have been playing golf (without a break) since February."