BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University men's golf team will see plenty of familiar faces when it opens its 2016 season at the Jim Rivers Intercollegiate that gets underway Monday at the Squire Creek Country Club in Choudrant, La.
 
The Cardinals are one of eight Southland Conference squads in the 13-team event that is hosted by Louisiana Tech of Conference USA. The teams will play 36 holes on Monday and 18 holes on Tuesday over the par-72, 7,070-yard layout.
 
"We're excited to start the season," second-year LU coach Jessie Mudd said. "We've had a lot of qualifying rounds, and the players have posted good scores. I'm hoping that will translate into success at the tournament."
 
Southland Conference teams joining LU in the field are Abilene Christian, Central Arkansas, Houston Baptist, Incarnate Word, New Orleans, Southeastern Louisiana and Stephen F. Austin. The field is rounded by Louisiana Tech, Missouri State, Southern Miss, Louisiana-Monroe and Western Kentucky.
 
"It should be a pretty good field," Mudd said. "This will be a good test to start the season."
 
The Cardinals' five-player squad is led by senior Mans Berglund, who will be in the No. 1 position. He is joined by a pair of returning teammates in sophomore Eason Wang, who is in the No. 2 spot, and senior Zander Gous, who is in the No. 4 position. They're joined by two newcomers; freshman Cody Banach, who is in the No. 3 slot, and freshman Clay McCrory, who will be in the fifth spot.
 
Berglund averaged 74.1 strokes per round last season over 33 rounds. Bach had three top-five finishes in 11 tourneys last season, claiming one individual title. Wang averaged 74.4 strokes per round last year, with a pair of top-10 finishes in 12 events. Gous averaged 73.9 strokes per round in 2015-16, with three top-10 finishes and one individual crown.
 
"We've worked on our game plan for each golfer," Mudd said. "You have to play to your strength. Our attitude is good. It's game time!"
 
Following the Jim Rivers Intercollegiate, the Cardinals are idle until they compete in the OGIO Utah Invitational, set for Oct. 3-4 in Park City, Utah.