Wednesday, May 14, 2003

AUBURN, Ala. (May 14, 2003) - The East Tennessee State University men's golf team participated in a practice round Wednesday at the Auburn University Club in preparation for today's start of the NCAA East Regional. ETSU, along with 26 other teams, will be battling over the next three days for a Top 10 finish at the regional -- this would earn the Bucs a trip to the NCAA Championships May 27-30 in Stillwater, Okla. The history of ETSU's men's golf team is filled with successful runs in the NCAA Championships. In all, the Buccaneers have made 15 trips to NCAA competition -- including a run of eight consecutive appearances in the NCAA Championships from 1994-2001. The most storied season in ETSU history came in 1996, when the Bucs finished third at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn. (May 29-June 1, 1996). ETSU fired a four-round score of 1204 (303-294-301-306), finishing 18 strokes behind NCAA champion Arizona State and one stroke ahead of the Tiger Woods-led Stanford Cardinal. The Bucs' 294 in the second round was the lowest of the 30 teams on that day. As for regional competition, the Bucs have enjoyed their share of successes, winning the East Regional in 2001. In all, the Bucs have finished in the Top 10 nationally four times.