Olavo Batista Class: Sophomore Hometown: Sao Paulo, Brazil High School: Chapel Height / Weight: 5-11 / 175 Birthdate: 02/12/1988

COACH KUBINSKI SAYS... "No player improved as much as Olavo did this past season. After spending nearly two years away from strong competition while completing school in his native Brazil, Olavo came to Notre Dame needing some to time to re-acclimate himself to tournament golf. After some very high initial scores, he worked and worked and worked some more. By the end of the season, he had fired rounds below par in qualifying. He's a very dedicated and very talented player. I look for Olavo to push for a travel spot in the near future. Regardless, he will be a very competitive player this coming season."

AS A FRESHMAN (2006-07): Participated in three tournaments, two with Irish "B" team and once as an individual competitor ... posted 84.63 stroke average for eight rounds ... made college debut at John Dallio Memorial, finishing in 67th-place tie at 23-over par 239 (84-78-77); final-round 77 and tournament score of 239 both were season bests ... played as individual at inaugural Fighting Irish Gridiron Golf Classic, placing 67th (103-86-89=278, +68) ... tied for 35th place at The Tillinghast with 19-over par 160 (80-80); tournament finish was best of the season.

PREP AND PERSONAL: Brought wealth of junior experience, having lived in both Florida and New York through his sophomore year of high school before returning to his native Brazil to complete his prep education ...played in 29 junior tournaments during final five prep campaigns, including 10 American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) events, posting 19 top-10 finishes and registering a 75.31 stroke average in that span ... collected three junior titles and two runner-up placements ... won the Optimist International Junior Championship and Florida Junior Golf Association (FJGA) Easter Classic at age 13 in 2001 ... returned to winners' circle in September 2002 when he hoisted the hardware at the Junior Champions Tour - Legends at Raptor Bay event ... carded 76.20 stroke average on AJGA circuit and placed in the top 20 on five occasions, most notably tying for sixth place in the Marsh Junior at Apawamis in July 2004 ... enjoyed much success in two years of high school competition in the United States ... as freshman at Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) High School, qualified individually for Florida state high school championship ... as sophomore at Bronxville (N.Y.) High School, was all-Lower Hudson Athletic Conference selection after winning league title by 10 strokes and advancing to the New York state high school championship, where he finished as Empire State's prep runner-up ...represented Brazil in South American Junior Championship three times, helping his country win the team title in 2002 and 2003 ... upon return to South America full-time in 2005, competed solely on junior golf circuit as the sport is not offered in the Brazilian high school ranks ... in '05-06, participated in five junior tournaments, placing among the top 13 in all five events, including a tie for 10th place at the `05 Brazilian Junior Amateur Championship ... National Honor Society member ... just the eighth foreign-born player (third outside of North America) ever to play golf for the Irish, and first since the Kent brothers -- Willie (1998-99) and Alex (1999-2001) -- came from Asuncion, Paraguay, to be part of the Notre Dame lineup ... full name is Olavo Nogueira Batista Filho ... older of two children born to Olavo and Elaine Batista ... born February 12, 1988, in Luxembourg ... recently completed First Year of Studies program at Notre Dame and now is enrolled in Mendoza College of Business.