SDSU men's golf team picked second in preseason poll

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BROOKINGS – After winning its first Summit League Championship and reaching the NCAA Regional last year, the South Dakota State men's golf team was picked second in the preseason poll of the league's head coaches released Thursday.

The Jackrabbits received two first-place votes from the league's head coaches and 54 points. Last season, SDSU won the league championship from start to finish after being picked first in the preseason poll.

Denver was picked first, South Dakota third, Oral Roberts fourth and Fort Wayne fifth. North Dakota State was sixth followed by Omaha, IUPUI and Western Illinios.

Sophomore Jaxon Lynn leads the Jackrabbits and is 11th in The Summit League with a 74.50 stroke average in 12 rounds this past fall. He had a top-five and top-10 finish along with five rounds below par.

Senior Grant Smith is second on the team with a 74.53 average and ranks 12th in The Summit League after 15 rounds. He has four rounds below par.

Freshman Alejandro Restrepo and sophomore Alejandro Perazzo, fresh off the Latin American Amateur Championship last week, are shooting 74.60 and 75.53, respectively, on the season with Restrepo turning in a top-10 finish. He ranks 13th in The Summit League in scoring average.

The Jacks finished the fall season with a 296.93 scoring average and three top-10 finishes, including fourth at The Jackrabbit Sept. 25-27.

The 2017 Summit League Men's Golf Championship is April 30-May 2 at the Sand Creek Station Golf Club in Newton, Kan. The team champion earns the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Men's Golf Tournament.

The SDSU men's golf team opens its spring season at the Arizona Intercollegiate, hosted by the University of Arizona, in Tucson on Jan. 23-24.

2017 Men's Golf Preseason Poll

1. Denver (7) 62; 2. South Dakota State (2) 54; 3. South Dakota 53; 4. Oral Roberts 36; 5. Fort Wayne 35; 6. North Dakota State 28; 7. Omaha 23; 8. IUPUI 21; 9. Western Illinois 12.