Sept. 10, 2004

Fairfax, Va--Mason's men's golf team opens its 2004 fall campaign Saturday at the Navy Fall Invitational this weekend. Saturday and Sunday's action will take place at the par 71 USNA Golf Course in Annapolis with 18 holes set for both days. Tee-off time is slated for 7:45 a.m.

George Mason will join the field of 19 teams, which include CAA foe Delaware, two teams from Navy, Navy Blue and Navy Gold, along with George Washington, Iona, Penn, Rutgers, St. Bonaventure, St. John's, Saint Joseph's, Seton Hall, Temple, West Florida, William & Mary and Winthrop. Also competing are 2004 NCAA Tournament qualifiers Loyola (Md.), Princeton and CAA opponent Towson.

The Patriots team lost Craig Mason its top golfer for the past four years, to graduation. He was selected to the All-CAA First Team as a sophomore and senior and All-CAA Second Team in both his freshman and junior seasons. He was named a Golf Coaches Association of America/PING Mid-Atlantic All-Region selection for the past three seasons. He won four individual titles since donning the Green and Golf and has placed in the top five in 10-of-41 tournaments.

A talented group of underclassman received some experience during the 2003-04 season and made an impact in some tournaments that should help them this season. Junior Mike Cavanagh played in all but one tournament last season, ranking second on team in scoring average with 74.1 strokes per round. He finished in the Top 20 in six tournaments, with a career-best 3rd place finish at the Drew Upton Memorial, shooting (71-71-72) 214. He placed 17th in the CAA Tournament carding a (73-75-76) 224 on the par 72, 7,032 yard Nansemond River Golf Club.

Junior Mike Kirby participated in six tournaments, two in the spring and four in the fall and his best finish was tied for 12th at the CAA Championships, shooting a three-round (72-78-70) 220. George Mason sophomore Nick DeSimone, a highly rated player out of Maryland, participated in eight tournaments during his freshman season and had the third best scoring average on the team, averaging 75.2 per round. One of only three players to break 70 during the season and he accomplished that twice, scoring a 68 at the JMU Invitational and at the ODU/Seascape Collegiate. He finished in the Top 20 in three tournaments, all in the fall season, carding a career-best tied for 10th place at the ODU/Seascape Collegiate, shooting (68-76) 144.

Sophomores Trey Bressler and Daniel Hurley gained some collegiate experience each playing in four tournaments apiece last season. The Patriots placed seventh at the CAA Championships after carding a 904 (299-307-298). Kirby and Cavanagh placed 12th and 17th respectively. For the most part, Mason is fielding a young team this year with no seniors on the roster, but with some collegiate experience.