AIKEN, S.C.--USC Aiken head golf coach Michael Carlisle has announced the addition of two incoming freshmen to the Pacers’ roster for the upcoming 2005-06 season. Matt Giftos and Cory Sommer have signed National Letters of Intent (NLI) and will begin classes at USCA when the fall semester starts on Thursday.

Giftos is a native of Nashua, New Hampshire but attended high school at the prestigious International Junior Golf Association’s (IJGA) Heritage Academy in Hilton Head, S.C. Giftos won four IJGA events in his career as well as back-to-back New Hampshire State Junior Championships. The 6-1 incoming freshman is rated 18th in the United States by the Golfweek Junior Rankings.

“Matt was a very highly recruited player that has competed at the top of the junior golf elite tournaments. He saw the benefits of choosing a smaller university setting in which to further his education and prepare for a shot at a professional golf career,” said Carlisle. “Matt has a big time golf game, is very long off the tee, and has great touch around the greens.”

After being heavily recruited by Purdue, Kentucky, and Georgia, the 2005 NCAA Division I National Champions, Giftos opted for the Pacers of USC Aiken. He will be competing alongside teammate Dane Burkhart later this month at the 105th United States Amateur.

Sommer hails from Greenville, North Carolina and attended Parrott Academy in Kinston, N.C. With a 72.1 stroke average this past year, Sommer earned All-State honors. Three consecutive years beginning as a sophomore, Sommer finished as the runner-up at the North Carolina State Championships.

“I think Cory is the sleeper recruit of the year for all of college golf. He moved to North Carolina late in his junior career and the ACC teams just flat missed him,” said Carlisle. “His wedge game is the best I have seen in a junior golfer since Jonathan Byrd (played at Clemson and was a PGA Tour Rookie of the Year).”

Sommer was recruited by East Carolina as well as UNC Wilmington.

“Both Matt and Cory will play this year and make us a much better team than we were last year,” said Carlisle.

USC Aiken finished up the most dominating season in the history of Division II men’s golf in 2004-05 winning 11 of 13 tournaments including the program’s second consecutive NCAA Championship. Along the way, the Pacers notched their sixth Peach Belt Conference crown and their fourth-straight NCAA Southeast Region title.

With the return of the team’s top four players including the 2005 NCAA individual champion and reigning Division II Player of the Year Dane Burkhart alongside fellow PING First-Team All-American Scott Brown, the Pacers will be the odds on favorite to three-peat which has been done just once before in the 43-year history of the championship.