Johnson City, Tenn. -- The East Tennessee State men's golf team will compete in the NCAA East Regional on May 17-19 from the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club in Williamsburg, Va., hosted by Virginia Commonwealth University.

The NCAA Division I Men's Golf Committee selected the 27 teams and six individuals Tuesday evening for the regional.

The East Regional will consist of both team and individual competition conducted concurrently. All participants will compete throughout the entire 54 holes of competition. In the team competition, the low four scores for each team will count in each day's total score. The top ten teams and top two individuals not on those teams will advance to the NCAA Championships at the Duke University Golf Club in Durham, N.C., May 30-June 2.

The 14th-ranked Bucs are making their eighth consecutive appearance in the NCAA field, all under head coach Fred Warren. Last year, the Bucs advanced to the NCAA Championship after finishing fourth at the East Regional in Moosic, PA. ETSU has competed in 14 NCAA tournaments and finished 3rd in 1996 at the Honors Course in Chattanooga, TN. Two-time All-American Chris Wisler finished tied for 24th last year.

The field for the East Regionals will consist of some of the finest collegiate golfers in the United States. Seven top 25 teams will compete in the regional, including the top three. Fellow Southern Conference member Georgia Southern will compete in the East, while the third SoCon NCAA participant, College of Charleston, will compete in the Central Regional in Stillwater, Okla.

Seven of the top eight individual players will also be in action in the East Regional, including Wisler who is ranked eighth.

The Bucs are led by Wisler, who has finished in the top 5 in each of his last three tournaments and carries a 71.3 stroke average. Pat Beste (2nd), James Johnson (4th) and Thomas Lee (12th) also come into the regionals on a high note, with each having finished in the top 12 in their last tournament, the Southern Conference Championships.

As a team, the Bucs have also been hot as of late, finishing in the top 10 in their last five tournaments and winning the SoCon Championship.

ETSU will play in one final tournament prior to the NCAA regionals, the Cavalier Classic, May 13-14 in Charlottesville, Va.