PINEHURST, NC -- Freshman Jeff Griest (right) and junior Matt Grobstein each shot a four-over par 75 on Friday to help put the University of Delaware in third place after the first round of the Colonial Athletic Association Golf Championships Friday afternoon at Pinehurst Country Club.

Delaware’s Joe McLister added a 76 and Josh Williamowsky fired a 77 as Delaware registered a team score of 303 to finish the day in third place behind first round leader Georgia State (286) and runner-up Virginia Commonwealth (295). McLister, the nation’s leader in par 3 scoring and the team leader with a 72.64 stroke average, played the course’s four par three holes to one-under par and also added an eagle on the day.

The second round of the three-round, 72-hole tournament will get underway Saturday morning at 8 a.m. The final round will be played Sunday with the team champion earning an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.

James Madison is fourth in the team standings at 306 followed by two-time defending champion UNC Wilmington, George Mason, Old Dominion, William & Mary, Towson, Drexel, and Hofstra. Georgia State entered the tournament as the nation’s No. 10 ranked team based on the Sagarin rankings.

Delaware, which entered the tournament as the CAA’s 10th ranked team by Sagarin, placed all five of its players in the 70’s as Steve Boerner also shot 79 to tie for 28th place.

James Madison’s Scott Marino had the day’s best round with a three-under par 68 on the 6,943-yard, par 71 course. Last year’s runner-up Manuel Relancio of Virginia Commonwealth and Georgia State’s Mark Haastrup were tied for second at 70, and three others were tied for fourth at 71. Georgia State placed four of its five players in the top 10.

Delaware is looking for its best ever finish at the CAA Tournament after never placing higher than eighth in four other championship appearances and no Blue Hen individual has finished higher than McLister’s 23rd place showing last season.

AGATE:

Team Standings after Round One: 1. Georgia State - 286; 2. Virginia Commonwealth - 295; 3. Delaware - 303; 4. James Madison - 306; 5. UNC Wilmington - 309; 6. George Mason - 313; 7. Old Dominion - 314; 8. Wm. & Mary - 316; 9. Towson - 319; 10. Drexel - 322; 11. Hofstra - 324.

Top 10 Individuals: 1. Scott Marino (JMU), 68; 2. Mark Haastrup (GS), Manuel Relancio (VCU), 70; 4. Steve Tiley (GS), Joel Sjoholm (GS), Jens Fahrbring (VCU), 71; 7. Mike Kirby (GMU), 72; 8. Chris Colomb (UNCW), 73; 9. Ben Taylor (GS), 74; 10. Greg Sampson (ODU), Jeff Griest (DEL), Matt Grobstein (DEL), 75.

Delaware Competitors: 10. Jeff Griest, 75; 10. Matt Grobstein, 75; 13. Joe McLister, 76; 15. Josh Williamowsky, 77; 28. Steve Boerner, 79

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