LONG BEACH, Calif.  -- The first accolades for Vanguard golf came today as the men's squad was announced as the Pacific West Conference Team of the Week!  The Lions finished third at the Maverick City Desert Classic that included a team that was ranked in the top 10 in the central region last year (Minnesota State Mankato).  VU led the field in pars for the two rounds and finished with a final score of 586 strokes.  The rounds on Monday and Tuesday, tallies of 292 and 294 respectively, are the third and fourth lowest single round scores all-time and the sixth and seventh rounds to dip under 300 in program history.  The two-day total is the lowest the Lions have ever scored and the placing is the fifth time the team has taken third on the podium at the end of the event.
 
Alexander Elia's second round of 69 (-3) is the lowest by a freshman for a single round, is tied for the second-lowest score for a single round all-time, and it is his lowest score on 18 holes this season.  Elia was joined by Charles Thurston, Kyle Koski, and Matthew Wilkes on the countable lineup the past two days and all four stayed under 80 shots for the tournament.