By Colleen O’Connell
Coastal Georgia men’s golf will be making its fifth-straight appearance at the NAIA Men’s Golf National Championships as the Mariners were among the 29-team tournament field that was announced on Thursday afternoon by the NAIA. The 67th Annual NAIA Men’s Golf National Championships will take place May 15-18 at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill.
The Mariners earned the fifth at-large bid and are among five teams in this year’s tournament field who have previously won a team title. Coastal Georgia won back-to-back national championships in 2014 and 2015, which were their first two trips to the national tournament.
After starting the fall ranked No. 20 in the Aug. 25 Coaches Preseason Poll, Coastal Georgia made massive strides and ranked as high as No. 4 for much of the 2017-18 campaign.
The Mariners captured four team tournament titles as well as won a spring season tri-match against two NCAA programs. In the fall, the Coastal Georgia took home team titles at the Thomas Invitational and the 7th Annual Coastal Georgia Fall Invitational. The Mariners began the spring by winning back-to-back competitions at the 8th Annual Coastal Georgia Winter Invitational and the Georgetown Classic.
Pairings and tee times for the first and second rounds will be announced on the NAIA’s website on Friday afternoon.