Pioneers Set to Host ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ Invitational

  • March 7, 2010



HAYWARD, Calif. - The Pioneer men's and women's golf teams will play host to 14 men's and women's teams for the ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ Invitational at Hiddenbrooke Golf Club in Vallejo beginning on Monday. The men will play two rounds Monday and a final round on Tuesday for a total of 54 holes, while the women will play a single round each day.

The ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ men are looking to improve on a 17th-place finish at the Coyote Classic in San Bernardino last week. Jordan Cimino led the Pioneers, finishing 36th in a field of 88 golfers with a 10-over 220, including a team-best one-over 71 on the final day of the tournament. Garrett Baxley paced East Bay in its initial tournament of the spring season, the Amer Ari Invitational in Hawai'i, while Cimino posted the best single round in the Aloha State with a two-over 74.

The Pioneer women kicked off the spring season at the Cal State San Marcos Cougar Invitational, Feb. 28-Mar. 2. ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ was led by Micalann Cowan's 18th-place finish in the rain-shortened tournament. Katie Devine and Alicia Haness finished just two and four strokes back of Cowan, respectively, in the only round the teams were able to play. With just one round of competition under its belt, East Bay will be looking to make an impact in its home tournament this week.

The field at the men's tournament includes 12 complete teams and individuals from Holy Names, while the women's field features eight teams. Among the competitors on both sides is Penn, a Division I squad, and two ranked teams, No. 18 Dallas Baptist and No. 25 Cal State Stanislaus. Along with the Warriors, the Pioneers will meet two other conference squads - defending national champion Sonoma State and Cal State Monterey Bay.

On the women's side, Penn, the 18th-ranked Otters and No. 22 Seawolves will be the top competition. The Pioneers will meet Academy of Art and Dominican for the second time this season. The Urban Knights finished third at the Cougar Invitational, while the Penguins took seventh.

Hiddenbrooke Golf Club is a par-72, Arnold Palmer Course which was awarded four and a half stars by Golf Digest magazine and named the No. 9 Public Golf Course in the nation by Golf World readers.

After a Sunday practice round and banquet, the teams are set for a shotgun start to open the tournament at 7:30 a.m. on Monday. The men will play two rounds on Monday, while the women will play one. Tuesday's final round will also kick off with a shotgun start at 7:30 a.m.