AIKEN, S.C.--The top-ranked USC Aiken golf team kicks off its challenging 2005-06 schedule this week by hosting the second annual Kiawah Island Intercollegiate. The two-time defending NCAA Division II National Champions will play six Division I tournaments highlighted by the Hall of Fame Invitational, the Augusta State Invitational, and hosting the ninth annual Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate.

USCA captured 11 of 13 tournament titles last year en route to the most dominating and successful season in the history of Division II men’s golf. Along with winning the program’s sixth Peach Belt Conference title, four-straight NCAA Southeast Region crown, and second-consecutive NCAA Championship, the Pacers return four of five starters including First-Team All-Americans Dane Burkhart and Scott Brown.

After opening the season at Kiawah Island, the Pacers will play at the Raines Group Intercollegiate hosted by Francis Marion. Late September will have the Pacers traveling to Newport, R.I. for The Adams Cup hosted by the University of Rhode Island. USCA will conclude its fall schedule by trying to defend its tournament title at the Cougar Invitational hosted by Columbus State.

February will feature three-straight Division II events at the Outback Steakhouse Invitational (Panama City, Fla.), the Presbyterian College Intercollegiate (Clinton, S.C.), and the AASU/Southbridge Pirate Invitational (Savannah, Ga.). USCA captured all but the latter of the three last year.

The Pacers will play host to another elite Division I field on March 13-14 for the ninth annual Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate. USCA shared the title with the University of Houston last year. Just two days after the Palmetto Intercollegiate, the Pacers will tee off again in the Hall of Fame Invitational co-hosted by the University of Texas and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA). In 2005, the Pacers tied for eighth in the 21-team Division I field and were tabbed “the surprise of the tournament” after beating the likes of sixth-ranked Wake Forest. USCA has higher hopes of drawing attention in 2006.

After a date in the Bobcat Invitational on March 27-28, USC Aiken may have its most anticipated tournament of the year on April 1-2 when they compete in the 2006 Augusta State Invitational. An impressive Division I field features seven of the top 30 teams in the final 2004-05 national polls.

The 2006 PBC Championships will be hosted by Columbus State on April 17-18 while the NCAA Southeast Regional begins May 1. The 44th NCAA Division II National Championship will be hosted by the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in Daniels, W.Va. on May 16-19.

USC Aiken came in at #21 in Golf Digest’s first-ever ranking of the nation’s best golf colleges--regardless of NCAA Divisions. The 18-page special was in the September issue.