Monday, May 05, 2003

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (May 5, 2003) - The East Tennessee State men's golf team received an invitation to the 2003 NCAA East Regional Monday following an announcement by the NCAA Division I men's golf committee. The regional will be played May 15-17 at the University Club in Auburn, Ala., where a total of 27 teams will be competing for a spot in the Top 10 - which automatically gives teams a berth in the NCAA Championships scheduled for May 27-30 in Stillwater, Okla. There are three regionals with a total of 81 teams competing for 30 spots in the NCAA Championships. "We're very pleased that our season is continuing," said ETSU head coach Fred Warren, who has led the Bucs to 12 NCAA postseason appearances. "Advancing to the postseason is something our program strives for." Indeed, the Bucs have enjoyed their share of trips to NCAA competition, and those trips have often resulted in success. In 14 trips to the NCAAs, the Bucs have captured one regional title (2001) and have finished as high as third in the NCAA Championships (1996). In all, ETSU has four Top 10 finishes nationally. The Bucs will take the same team to regionals that competed in last month's Southern Conference Championships - senior James Johnson, sophomores Chase Baldwin, Cennydd Mills and Jeremy Hobson, and freshman Derek McNamara.