SAN ANTONIO — The UTSA men’s golf team will open the 2014-15 campaign on Monday at the two-day Sam H. Hall Intercollegiate, which will be hosted by Southern Miss at Hattiesburg Country Club (par 71/6,902 yards).
The Roadrunners will face players from Arkansas State, Jackson State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Louisiana Tech, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Rice, Sam Houston State, South Alabama, Southeastern Louisiana, Southern Miss, Tennessee Tech and UALR.
The field will play 36 holes beginning with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start on Monday followed by 18 holes with tee times starting at 8 a.m. the following day.
UTSA finished eighth with a 4-over-par 856 (293-281-282) at last year’s event. Louisiana-Lafayette won the team crown with a 15-under 837 (281-272-284), while Mississippi's State's Joe Sakulpolphaisan tied the tournament record with a 14-under 199 to capture the individual title.
Under the direction of seventh-year head coach John Knauer, the Roadrunners welcome back five veterans from last year’s squad that posted nine top-10 finishes, including the Rice Intercollegiate team title. Leading the way is the duo of junior Brett Hogan and sophomore Bryce Alley.
Hogan, a Calgary, Alberta, native, led the team with a 74.06 stroke average last season. He tied for 10th at last year’s Sam H. Hall Intercollegiate with a career-best 74-67-67—208, one of four top-20 showings.
Alley, a Longview Pine Tree product, was second with a 74.19 average in his first collegiate season. He turned in his top finish when he tied for 13th with a 72-72-76—220 to help the Birds win the Rice Intercollegiate. The Conference USA All-Freshman Team selection’s top 54-hole scorecard of 211 (71-67-73) came in a tie for 15th at the Wyoming Cowboy Classic.
Garrison Lackey, a senior from Weslaco who registered a 74.45 average last season, J.J. Lindsey, a junior from Adkins who produced a 75.22 mark, and Reed Stegall, a senior from San Angelo with a 76.83 average last year, also return.
The returnees will join forces with three newcomers in sophomore transfer Trace Morrow (Midland/Midland College) and freshmen Christian De La Cruz (San Antonio/Johnson HS) and Zander Lozano (Boerne/Champion HS).
What: Sam H. Hall Intercollegiate
When: Monday-Tuesday, Sept. 8-9
Where: Hattiesburg Country Club (par 71, 6,902 yards) · Hattiesburg, Miss.
Format: Three-day, 54-hole stroke play (36 holes, 8:30 a.m. shotgun start on Monday; 18 holes, 8 a.m. tee times on Tuesday)
Tournament Field: Arkansas State, Jackson State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Louisiana Tech, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Rice, Sam Houston State, South Alabama, Southeastern Louisiana, Southern Miss, Tennessee Tech, UALR, UTSA
Live Scoring: golfstat.com
2013 Team Champion: Louisiana-Lafayette (837)
2013 Individual Champion: Joe Sakulpolphaisan, Mississippi State (199)
UTSA Lineup
Bryce Alley, So. (Longview, Texas)
· Ranked second with a 74.19 stroke average in 2013-14
· Named to Conference USA All-Freshman Team
· Fired season-best 67 in second round en route to tie for 15th (211) at Wyoming Cowboy Classic
Brett Hogan Jr. (Calgary, Alberta)
· Led UTSA with a 74.06 stroke average last season
· Posted four top 10s as a sophomore
· Tied for 10th with a career-low 208 (74-67-67) at 2013 Sam H. Hall Intercollegiate
Garrison Lackey, Sr. (Weslaco, Texas)
· Ranked fourth with a 74.92 stroke average as a junior
· Posted a pair of top 10s last season
· Tied for eighth with a 70-74-74—218 to help UTSA win 2014 Rice Intercollegiate
J.J. Lindsey, Jr. (Adkins, Texas)
· Was fifth with a 75.22 stroke average in 2013-14
· Tied for 28th (78-78-77—233) to help UTSA claim 2014 Rice Intercollegiate
· Registered a season-best 219 (70-78-71) at 2014 Wyoming Cowboy Classic
Zander Lozano, Fr. (Boerne, Texas)
· All-state, all-region and all-district performer at Boerne Champion High School
· Rated Golfweek top-75 national recruit
· Member of U.S. National Junior Golf Team