CONOVER, N.C. --- The Tusculum College men's golf team will open play in the South Atlantic Conference Championship on Monday at the Rock Barn Golf Club & Spa. The two-day, 54-hole tournament begins with the first two rounds on Monday, followed by the final 18 holes on Tuesday.

Tusculum, under the direction of 2012 SAC Coach of the Year Bob Dibble, will be vying for its first South Atlantic Conference title and sixth league crown, overall. The Pioneers have finished runner-up in this event three times, including last season as TC leapfrogged three teams and posted a 905, five shots behind SAC winner Newberry.

Junior Nick York has enjoyed success at the SAC Championship in the past. The Kingsport, Tenn. native tied for fourth place at last year's league tournament, shooting 75-76-71=222 to earn SAC All-Tournament honors. He garnered SAC All-Tournament accolades in his 2010 rookie campaign, finishing sixth with 77-69-75=221.

York leads the team with his 74.3 scoring average with five top-20 finishes, including three in the top-10 and two top-five performances. He earned medalist honors at the Anderson Invitational with a one-under par 72-71=143. He finished third at the Tusculum Invitational with 71-70=141 (-1)and sixth at the Lincoln Memorial Invitational (70-74=144).

Junior David Talley will also be making his third SAC Championship appearance. Talley, a native of Bristol, Va., finished 24th at last year's tournament and 31st at the 2010 event. His 74.5 scoring average is second on the team and just four shots behind York. Like York, he has five top-20 finishes, including three in the top-10 and two top-five outings. He finished runner-up at the Honda Columbia Classic with 73-69-142 and fourth at the Tusculum Invitational (71-71=142).

Derek Cantrell enjoyed last year's SAC Championship, where he tied for sixth place with 79-74-70=223, earning a SAC All-Tournament Team spot. The Knoxville, Tenn. junior is averaging 75.9 strokes per round, including four top-20 finishes and two top-10 outings. He finished fifth at the Honda Columbia Classic (72-72=144) and 10th at the Tusculum Invitaitonal (72-72=144).

The lone senior competing this week for the Pioneers is Kingsport, Tenn. product Justin Harvey. This will be Harvey's first SAC Championship experience as he carries a 76.3 stroke average into the event. He has finished in the top 10 on three occasions, including twice in the top five. He finished runner-up at the Tusculum Invitational (69-71=140), third at the Anderson Invitational (70-75=145) and ninth at the Tusculum Fall Classic (76-67=143).

Freshman Warren Cheney will be playing in his fifth collegiate event this week and first conference championship appearance. The Nashville, Tenn. native has a 74.3 scoring average in his eight competitive rounds, including a season-best 10th-place finish at the Tusculum Invitational (71-73=144). He also finished 17th at the Tusculum Fall Classic (73-72=145) and 20th at the Pinehurst Challenge (72-82=154).

- TC -