AIKEN, SC--Eight is the magic number for the USC Aiken golf team. The Pacers, who finished the eighth at last year’s NCAA Division II Championship, are ranked eighth in the first Precept/Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) Top 25 poll of the 2003-04 season, released Thursday afternoon. The Pacers also concluded the 2002-03 year rated eighth in the final poll.

West Florida received five of 12 first-place votes totaling 282 points to earn the top spot in the poll. Rollins, with four first-place votes, is second with 274 points followed by CSU Bakersfield (one first-place vote) with 239 points and Francis Marion (one first-place vote), the defending national champions, at 226 points.

USCA tallied 197 points and was also ranked first on one ballot. Six Peach Belt Conference teams appear in the top 25 poll. Following FMU and USCA, Armstrong Atlantic State is ninth, Georgia College & State is 15th, Kennesaw State is 18th, and Columbus State rounds out the PBC contingent at number 21.

Head coach Michael Carlisle will have a young, talented group of golfers with which to work this season. Bryan Sangid (74.25 avg., five top 20s), a 2003 PBC All-Tournament selection, is the lone senior on the squad. Four sophomores and two freshmen round on the team. Sophomore Dane Burkhart (73.83 avg., four top 20s), last year’s PBC Freshman of the Year, joins sophomores Reggie Bergholtz (75.42 avg., four top 20s), Sam Mason (75.82 avg., two top 20s), and James McGhee (75.42 avg., two top 20s) as returners.

Freshmen Clint Smith (High Point, NC) and Ryan Burton (Warwickshire, England) will see action as newcomers for the Pacers.

Carlisle, entering his 14th season at USCA, is a five-time PBC Coach of the Year (1995-97, 2002, 2003) and six-time NCAA District III Coach of the Year (1995-99, 2002). USCA enters the 2003-04 season as the back-to-back defending PBC and NCAA Southeast Region champions. The Pacers have five PBC titles to their credit (1995-97, 2002, 2003), two NCAA Region titles (2002, 2003), and three NCAA National Runner-up trophies (1995, 1996, 1999).

USCA opened up the 2003-04 season at the Kiawah Island/Cleveland Golf Intercollegiate this past Monday and Tuesday where they placed 12th in the 14-team Division I field. The Pacers will travel to Uwarrie, NC to compete in the Johnny Palmer/Old North State Invitational on September 16-17.

Precept / Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA)
NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Top 25
September 10, 2003--Poll #1

Institution................................Pts.... Pv.
1. West Florida (5).....................282......T6
2. Rollins (4)...............................274......2
3. CSU Bakersfield (1)...............239......4
4. Francis Marion (1).................226......1
5. CSU Stanislaus......................219.....3
6. Florida Southern....................217.....NR
7. North Alabama.......................201.....T6
8. USC Aiken (1).....................197.....8
9. Armstrong Atl. State..............178.....NR
10. Pfeiffer.................................158.....12
11. CSU Chico............................157.....5
12. UC Davis..............................156.....9
13. Abilene Christian..................122.....NR
14. CO-Colorado Springs...........116.....10
15. Georgia Coll. & State............107.....NR
16. Central Oklahoma.................105.....13
17. Western Washington...........103.....11
18. Kennesaw State.................100......NR
19. Grand Canyon.......................91......NR
20. Cameron................................89......NR
21. Columbus State.....................83......NR
22. Presbyterian.........................73.......NR
23. Ferris State...........................70.......15
24. Valdosta State......................69.......NR
25. Lynn......................................64.......NR

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