Five PBC Golf Teams Ranked in Preseason Top 25

NEW YORK, NY – The Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) has released its preseason Golf World/Nike Top 25 rankings and five Peach Belt Conference schools have made the list. USC Aiken will begin the year ranked #4 while GCSU is #6. Columbus State is 13th and Clayton State 14th while Armstrong Atlantic State is 24th. Lander also received votes in the poll.

USC Aiken won the 2008 PBC Championship last spring, was second at the NCAA Regionals and seventh at the National Championships. The Pacers will bring back three-time All-Conference standout Roberto Diaz for his senior season as well as J.P. Solis and Ashley Smith who both return for their sophomore years.

GCSU won the NCAA Regional and finished fourth at the NCAA National Championships in 2007-08. Standout Bobcat returnees include two time All-American junior Niclas Johannson and reigning Peach Belt Freshman of the Year Joe Young. With several top 10s and low rounds for Georgia College last season, sophomore Billy Shida and junior Francisco Bide round out the remaining four from last season’s NCAA run.

Columbus State finished fourth at the PBC and a disappointing seventh at the NCAA Regionals. However, the Cougars do return seniors Kyle Albright, Andrew Georgiou and J.P. van der Walt, as well as sophomores Michael Hicks and Tyler Cashbaugh.

Clayton State finished in second place at the 08 PBC Championships behind the play of medalist Will Wilcox who returns for his senior season following a summer that saw him win the Alabama State Amateur title and qualify for the U.S. Amateur. In fact, all five Lakers from last year’s team return with seniors Neil McBride and Jonathan Visconti, junior Wade Binfield and sophomore Kevin Duncan all back for 08-09.

Armstrong Atlantic State will welcome back 2008 PBC Player of the Year Chris Wolfe for his senior season. Wolfe was named an All-American last year after winning four tournaments and then participated in the USA vs. Japan Collegiate Golf Championship over the summer. Also back for the Pirates are sophomore Parker Gordon and senior Justin Smith.

Defending National Champion West Florida begins the season as the #1 team in the nation while St. Edwards is second and Florida Southern third. UWF received 13 first-place votes while USC Aiken and GCSU each also received a first-place vote. The 2008-09 season begins on Sept. 7 with the USC Aiken/Kiawah Island Invitational.

See the complete poll here.