CHICO – The No. 1-ranked Chico State men’s golf team heads back into action this weekend, opening its spring schedule this Sunday at the three-day, 54-hole Golfweek Division II Spring Invitational in Orlando, Fla.

The Wildcats gained the No. 1 ranking in the Golfstat head-to-head national rankings following back-to- back team victories at the InterWest Wildcat Classic and the Seawolves Intercollegiate tourney last October.

Despite the high mark and national acclaim coming into the spring, head coach T.L. Brown and the Wildcats will bring a similar humble approach to the second half of the season.

“I’m excited about the rankings, but it’s only a number,” Brown said back in October. “Our goal is to compete for the title in every tournament we play. So we’re looking forward to…getting back out there and competing.”

Chico State also holds the No. 4 ranking in the latest Golf World/Nike Division II Coaches Poll.

Sophomore Kyle Souza led the way for Chico State in the fall – his 71.3 stroke-per-round average this fall helped the ’Cats to an adjusted scoring average of 72.10 – third best amongst NCAA Division II teams. The Wildcats’ squad also features reigning California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Player of the Year Lucas Delgado and sophomore Eric Frazzetta, whose fall average of 72.5 was second only to Souza on the team.

This weekend in Orlando, Chico headlines an 18-team field that includes nationally-ranked schools including Lynn University (No. 6 in the Golf World/Nike Coaches Poll), St. Edward’s (No. 8), Indianapolis (No. 9), Nova Southeastern (No. 13) and Dixie State (No. 18). Cal State Monterey Bay is the only CCAA school besides Chico State competing in the Spring Invitational.
 
The first-time tournament will take place on the Tom Watson-designed Independence Course in Orlando’s Reunion Resort, and is the first of five regular season tournaments on the Wildcat spring schedule.