MOBILE, Ala. – The 2018-19 University of South Alabama men's golf schedule was announced on Thursday, with the Jaguars' slate for the upcoming year including participation in multiple events hosted by Southeastern Conference schools as well as a pair of home tournaments.

"The schedule is set up very well again this year with some new venues, which is always fun," said head coach Benn Hannan.  "Everything we try to do with the schedule is in preparation for the postseason.  We'll see several highly-ranked programs throughout the year, which will help us from a competition standpoint and to be able to measure where we stand nationally."

When the Jags open the campaign Sept. 10-11 at the Lone Star Invitational hosted by Texas-San Antonio, they will be competing on the same course that plays host to the PGA Tour's Valero Texas Open.  South will return to Alabama-Birmingham's Shoal Creek Invitational Sept. 24-25, then compete at the Fighting Irish Classic hosted by Notre Dame on Oct. 7-8.

"When you compete in different locations, the idea is to expose the guys to different grasses and conditions as we may see them in postseason," Hannan said.  "Depending on qualification, the NCAA may send us to a different region so we try our best to be prepared.  Another positive is the venues we'll play, championship courses in areas of the country where the guys have never been which is part of the student-athlete experience."

USA will conclude the fall season when it plays host to the Steelwood Collegiate Classic for the third year in a row, with the dates this semester set for Oct. 27-28.  Four of the 12 teams in the field — Kennesaw State, Kentucky, Mississippi State and Wake Forest — competed in an NCAA Regional last season; both KSU and UK finished in the top five with the Jaguars at last year's edition of the Steelwood event.

Four NCAA Regional participants from 2018 will also be in the field of the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate, which South will host to open the spring slate Feb. 11-12; in addition to KSU, defending tournament champion Florida State, Louisville and Jacksonville State qualified for postseason action last May.  The Jags placed second in a field of 16 a year ago, the second straight season they have concluded the event as runners up.

USA will take part in Auburn's Tiger Invitational — scheduled to be held Feb. 24-26 — for the seventh straight year, then return to the Linger Longer Invitational for the first time since 2016 on March 15-17.  The Jaguars will look to once again defend their title at the Southern Collegiate Match Play April 1, with Southern Mississippi playing host to the tournament for the third season in a row, then participate in Mississippi State's Old Waverly Collegiate Championship on April 15-16.

The 2019 Sun Belt Conference Championship will return to the Sandestin Golf Resort Raven Course, with competition taking place April 21-24.  Six NCAA Regionals will be contested from May 13-15, with qualifiers moving on the NCAA Championship, which this year will be hosted by Arkansas May 24-29.

"I've been very fortunate to be involved with this league for a long time and every year it gets tougher; the league is as deep and competitive as I can remember," said Hannan. "There are so many good coaches and players that it's hard to look at anyone as a favorite this year; there are certainly teams that have been consistently competitive, but the depth in the league is very strong right now."

The Jaguars return six individuals who competed last year, including four of the five members of the lineup at the Sun Belt Tournament who helped South advance to match play for the second time in three seasons.

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

Join the Birdie Club — the men's golf specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. All donations to the Birdie Club go directly to support the South Alabama men's golf program. For more information on how you can join visit:  jaguarathleticfund.com/birdieclub.

—USA—