photo courtesy of Jon Cox

PINE MOUNTAIN, Ga. -- The University of Delaware golf team will compete in the Colonial Athletic Association Championships this Friday through Sunday at Callaway Gardens Golf Course.

The conference’s 11 men’s golf teams will compete on the par 72, 7,057-yard Mountain View Course, with the winning team earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. The 55 players will play one round on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with play on each day beginning at 8 a.m. Georgia State won the tournament last year by defeating second place Old Dominion by 25 strokes.

The Blue Hens, who have recorded top five finishes in eight of nine tournament this season, finished seventh at the 2008 CAA Championships in Williamsburg, Va. Delaware’s best showing at the conference tournament was a sixth place finish in 2006.

Delaware is led by sophomore Justin Martinson (at right), who leads the Blue Hens with a 74.05 round average this season and earned medalist honors at the George Washington and Lafayette Invitationals this spring. Senior co-captain Tommy Ellison, who has posted a 74.06 round average, finished 15th at the 2008 CAA Championships, the second highest finish ever by a Blue Hen at the tournament.

Sophomore Colin Smith, who ranks third on the team with a 76.64 round average, will also compete for the Blue Hens in the CAA Championships, along with freshman Greg Matthias and senior Jeff Griest.