Shawn Warren recently wrapped up four years of stellar golf play at Marshall University. The Windham High graduate headed to the West Virginia campus four years ago after winning the Maine schoolboy golf title in the fall of 2002 and the Maine Junior championships in 2000 and 2001.

It didn’t take long for Warren to make an immediate impact at the collegiate level for the Thundering Herd golf team. He played in all 32 rounds of competition his freshman season and he led his team in scoring average at 74.1. He finished in a tie for sixth at the Mid-American Conference championships, which earned him a spot on the All-MAC second team.

He went on to lead the team in stroke average each of his four years and he established a school record for career stroke average at 74.09. He was the team captain during both his junior and senior seasons.

“He was a good captain and team leader on and off the golf course,” said Marshall men’s golf coach Joe Feaganes. “Shawn’s strengths on the course were his length, shot making ability and course management.”

His memorable college career culminated with a fifth-place finish in the Conference USA championship – earning him a spot on the all-tournament team.

“Shawn will be hard to replace,” Feaganes said noting that Warren had played the No. 1 position in each of his four seasons.

Feaganes said he expects Warren to return to Marshall in the fall and graduate in December with a degree in Sports Management and Marketing.

Warren has returned to Maine for the summer and he’s eagerly embarking on the next step in his golf career. Last year’s Maine Amateur champion is this year’s newest Maine golf professional. And his first professional test will be next week’s TD Banknorth Portland Open at Riverside Golf Course in Portland.

“Now that I finished up my college eligibility, it’s a no-brainer to chase a dream I’ve had since I was a little boy,” Warren said about his decision to play professionally.

Next week’s 54-hole event will run from Wednesday, June 27, through Friday, June 29, with a field that includes some of the best professional and amateur golfers in New England.

Last year as an amateur, Warren had rounds of 71, 73, and 72 to finish with a six-over score of 216.

As soon as the Portland Open concludes, Warren will spend a few days practicing before heading to Cleveland, Ohio, to play in a Nationwide tournament qualifier for the Legend Financial Group Classic. He’ll be one of 150 golfers looking to finish in the top 14, which earns that golfer a spot in that week’s tourney field.

Warren plans on playing in the New Hampshire Open, the Rhode Island Open and the Bangor Open later in the summer and he’ll continue to play some Nationwide Tour qualifiers.

“Right now I’m a playing professional, traveling from state to state going to tournaments,” Warren said about his immediate future.

The 22-year-old credits his winning the Maine Open back in 2004 as a turning point in his career. “I had just finished my first year at Marshall and then I sank a putt and won the Maine Open in a four-way playoff,” Warren recalled. “That was a big momentum shift for me. That gave me a lot of confidence.”

He’ll finish up at Marshall and get his college degree in December. In 2008, Warren plans on playing a full year as a professional and he’ll try to get a spot at the PGA Tour qualifying school.

Warren has made a name for himself both collegiately and as a tournament champion in the Maine amateur ranks. Now he’s set his sights on a professional golf career where he hopes to parlay his skills and competitiveness into continued success.