ANNAPOLIS, MD -- The University of Delaware golf team’s 2007-08 season debut was an impressive one this past weekend as the Blue Hens, led by individual runner-up Jason Bernstein (at right), placed third out of 17 teams at the U.S. Naval Academy Fall Tournament which ended Sunday afternoon.

The Blue Hens shot team scores of 296 on Saturday and 294 on Sunday to finish at 590 for the 36-hole tournament, finishing just one stroke behind runner-up Navy, which shot a score of 286, 17 stroke better than its first day showing. North Carolina State was the tournament’s runaway winner as the Wolfpack shot 279-287 to finish at 566, 23 stroke better than the host Midshipmen.

Among the teams Delaware finished higher than was fourth place Maryland, which was ranked No. 2 in NCAA District 2 a year ago, Seton Hall, Rutgers, and George Washington. Delaware’s third place finish was its ninth straight tournament Top 10 finish dating back to last season and its h highest finish since placing third at the Fairfield Invitational last March 16-17 in Myrtle Beach, SC.

The tournament was held at the par 71, 6,528-yard U.S. Naval Academy Golf Course.

Bernstein, a sophomore, led all Delaware golfers as he shot scores of 69 Saturday and 71 Sunday to finish second overall with a score of 140, three strokes behind North Carolina State’s Hertzog Landman (68-69=137). The third place finish was Bernstein’s best since capturing Delaware’s own Scotty Duncan Invitational last Oct. 7-8.

Also for Delaware, junior Jeff Griest placed 10th overall at 76-70=146, junior Tommy Ellison was 23rd with a score of 74-76=150, freshman Colin Smith was 46th at 77-78=155, and freshman Kevin McLister was 52nd at 79-77=156.

Delaware will resume action next weekend when they take part in the Rutgers Invitational Sept. 15-16 at the Rutgers University Golf Club in Piscataway, NJ.

AGATE:

Final Team Standings: 1. North Carolina State - 566; 2. Navy - 589; 3. Delaware - 590; 4. Maryland - 595; 5. Seton Hall - 598; 6. Navy Gold, North Dakota State - 601; 8. Rutgers - 611; 9. George Washington - 612; 10. George Washington B - 613; 11. St. Francis (PA) - 614; 12. Navy White - 615; 13. Brown - 618; 14. Navy Gray - 627; 15. Saint Joseph’s - 631; 16. La Salle - 639; 17. St. Augustine’s - 684.

Top 10 Finishers: 1. Hertzog Landman (N.C. State), 68-69=137; 2. Jason Bernstein, 69-71=140, Adam Hogue (N.C. State), 68-72=140, Andrew Byrd (N.C. State), 67-73=140; 5. Darren Blair (N.C. State), 70-71=141, Matt Hill (N.C. State), 74-67=141; 7. Brad Revell (N.C. State), 74-71=145, Erich Schoen (Navy), 76-69=145, Tyler Wendelken (George Washington B), 75-70=145; 10. Jeff Griest (Delaware), 76-70=146, 4 others at 146.

Delaware Finishers: 2. Jason Bernstein, 69-71=140; 10. Jeff Griest, 76-70=146; 23. Tommy Ellison, 74-76=150; 46. Colin Smith, 77-78=155; 52. Kevin McLister, 79-77=156.

Boxscore