June 4, 2003

FAIRFAX, Va. - George Mason University golfer Craig Mason (Lorton, VA/Hayfield) was named to the Division I PING Mid-Atlantic All-Region team, as announced by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) at its National Awards Dinner May 30. The event honors the top student-athletes in college golf.

Mason, who is the first Patriot athlete ever named All-Region, garners the honor for the second consecutive season after also being named All-Region following the 2002 season. He joins 14 other athletes from several schools in the Mid-Atlantic region to make up the 15-man squad.

The junior led George Mason with a combined 72.9 stroke average over the fall and spring seasons, finishing in the top 10 in five of the 10 tournaments he entered. He was also Mason's top golfer in seven of the 10 events.

His best finish this season was a tie for second out of 95 individuals at the William & Mary Invitational, held March 24-25 in Williamsburg, Va, where he fired a 72-74-73=219 total. His second round of 66 at the Pirate Fall Intercollegiate tied former Patriot Carlos Rosario for the lowest round score in school history. Mason participated in every tournament for George Mason, completing 26 rounds. Both his fall and spring averages were tops for the Patriots.

Mason has been the Patriots most consistent golfer over the past three seasons. He was selected to the golf All-CAA second team in his freshman season and made the first team as a sophomore. He has won four individual titles since donning the Green and Golf and has placed in the top 10 in 15-of-30 tournaments.

As a team, George Mason placed in the top-five twice and finished in the top 10 nine times last season. The Patriots placed seventh at the CAA Championships after carding a 903 (309-301-293).