DULUTH, Ga. – Strong finishes have been the mark of the University of South Alabama men's golf team, with the Jaguars moving up on the final day at each of their first three event of the fall.  After a 294 over the last 18 holes last time out at the David Toms Intercollegiate — USA's best group score in six rounds — head coach Ben Hannan is looking for the Jags to build on that performance when they return to action Monday at the AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic.

"We're trying to build some momentum off the final round at LSU," he stated.  "We want to continue to work the process in terms of focusing on the shot in front of us and taking care of what we can control rather than worry about things that we can't.  It's about getting into a playing rhythm, and with this being a short week hopefully we can pick up where we left off."

All four returning letterwinners slated to be in the Jaguar lineup this week played in the event a year ago, when USA finished third in a field of 14 teams.  Michael Garretson paced the squad with a 5-under-par 211 54-hole score, which included a pair of 69s on the first day of the tournament, while Tyler Klava closed with a 70 in each of the last two rounds for a 213 total.  Both finished in the top 15 in the individual standings.

Ryan Pope supplied a 222 total over three rounds including an even-par 72 the morning of the opening day, and Matt Sheehan carded a 74 and 75 to begin the event.

The quartet will be joined by junior-college transfer Daniel Jansen, with Jason Mendel participating this week as an individual.

"A good amount of the guys playing this week saw the course last year, which can help," Hannan observed.  "The golf course is normally in very good shape, and there is potential to score well because of the layout; it's a similar course to the one we play in Hattiesburg every year.  Coming off the tournaments at Indiana and LSU I think it will be fun to make some birdies, and if we can do that then — like last year — we should find ourselves in good position going into the final round."

Seven of the 12 schools slated to play in the event this year are ranked from 50th to 100th nationally in this week's Golfweek/Sagarin ratings, with the group including USA, fellow Sun Belt Conference members Georgia State — host of the tournament — and Troy, as well as Chattanooga, Mercer, UNC Greensboro and Virginia Commonwealth.  Also competing will be Charleston, Davidson, Francis Marion, Richmond and Samford.

"The sport of collegiate golf is national now, there are a lot of good teams from various leagues across the country," said Hannan.  "This field is very solid from top to bottom with a lot of similar opponents, so it will be a good event; we're going to have to play well in order to compete."

Action will begin at 7:30 a.m. (CDT) Monday at the par-72, 6,694-yard Berkeley Hills Country Club, with the Jaguars, Mercer and UNCG opening on Nos. 7-10 as part of the shotgun start.  After 36 holes the opening day, the final round will tee off from the first and 10th holes at 7 a.m. Tuesday.  Live stats will be available at www.golfstat.com throughout the event.

Garretson led the Jags with a 228 two-day score at LSU, the second time in three outings this fall that he has posted the team's lowest total; the senior's 74.56 stroke average is best on the squad entering play.  Jansen tied for 25th place individually last time out one shot behind Garretson, and Sheehan also ended up inside the top 30 one stroke in back of Jansen following an even-par 72 as the two have matching 74.78 averages on the season.

Klava closed out the David Toms Intercollegiate with a 73 and Pope carded a 75 to contribute to the Jaguars' final-round climb, which saw USA move from 10th place into a tie for sixth in the final standings.

It was the Jags' best finish thus far this season.  But for the team to record its first top-five result of the year, it will require a start that matches its performances over the final 18 holes.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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