Teams will

battle at the par-72 course on Lake Oconee for a chance to compete May

20-23 in the NCAA Division II National Championships in Sunriver, Oregon.

Each regional will have eight teams and five individuals competing.

"I've

had better players and better students as a team, but this is the best

group of young men I have coached in my six years," said head coach

Bob Hill. "They don't quit and that is why they have earned their

way into the regional tournament."

Clayton State

is one of seven Peach Belt Conference schools participating in the tournament.

PBC Champion USC Aiken is the top seed, followed by Armstrong Atlantic

State, and Francis Marion. Presbyterian College, from the South Atlantic

Conference, is the No. 4 seed, followed by GC&SU, Columbus State and

Clayton State.

The Lakers

enter the tournament led by their two seniors, Brennan Cass and Bob Guiendon.

A four-year letterwinner and a veteran of two regional tournaments, Cass

will participate in his third region event, entering with a team low scoring

average of 75 in 20 rounds of play.

Cass, who has

never missed a tournament in four years, has won two tournaments and has

six top 10 finishes in his career. He has two top 10 finishes this year,

placing third in the Presbyterian Intercollegiate and 10th in the PBC

Championships.

Guiendon, a

transfer from Life University, was one of the team's steadiest players

down the stretch and helped lead the Lakers to the region competition.

Guiendon finished with the team's second lowest scoring average of 76

and has shot a 75 or better in his last seven rounds of play.

Junior Jess

Shirley of Newnan also closed the season strong and has a 77 scoring average

on the season. He fired a 5-under par 67, a career best and the third

best round in Clayton State history at the Richard Rendleman Invitaitonal,

tying for first place in the 36-hold event.

In addition

to Beebe, Jason Armour is representing the freshman class by competing

in his first regional tournament.

Armour played

in eight-of-nine tournaments for the Lakers with his best round, a two-over

par 74, coming at the Pfeiffer Intercollegiate and at the Peach Belt Conference

Championships.

Clayton State

last competed in the regional tournament as a team in 2000, finishing

16th. The Lakers placed fourth in the 1999 NCAA South Regionals before

advancing to the NCAA Division II National Championships and finishing

seventh in the country.

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