VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State men's golf team returns to action this fall with two tournaments beginning in October.  
 
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Gulf South Conference determined on Aug. 12, 2020, that golf and cross country will be allowed to compete this fall as they are designated as low contact risk and medium contact risk sports.  Both sports feature more manageable testing and monitoring requirements per NCAA medical guidance as well as limited competition opportunities.
 
The Blazers have not competed since the Southeastern Collegiate on Mar. 8-10 at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club in Valdosta.  The Southeastern Collegiate annually features some of the best NCAA Division II golf programs in the country.  Following the tournament in March, the rest of the spring athletic season was cancelled on Mar. 13, due to the pandemic.  
 
Heading into the 2020-21 season, the Blazers return just about the entire team from 2019-20 as each athlete had their eligibility returned due to the shortened spring season.  VSU head coach Jared Purvis returns for his 19^th season at the helm of the Blazers, as he has built on the strong success of the program competing in arguably the toughest region in the country.
 
"We are fortunate to have the opportunity to play a couple fall events," Purvis said.  "We won't get much "in-region" competition in, but it will allow us to see how our games are under tournament pressure."
 
In 2018-19, the Blazers qualified as a team for the NCAA Super Regional for the first time since 2013.  VSU finished T-12^th at the regional in 2019 as the Blazers finished the season runner-up in the Gulf South Conference.
 
Highlighting the returnees for the fall is senior Wesley Hanson, who earned GSC Spring Men's Golf Champion Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors and became the first Academic All-America®
honoree as selected by CoSIDA in VSU men's golf history earning third team honors.  He also earned GSC All-Academic honors for the second-straight year, while earning Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar Team accolades.  Hanson finished the season playing in five tournaments and 15 rounds with a 75.6 stroke average.  
 
The Macon, Ga., native, has played in 15 tournaments for his career for 52 rounds.  He has a 76.3 stroke average and fired 45 rounds in the 70s with a career-low round of 70 in 2018-19 at the Southeastern Collegiate. 
 
Also returning this fall is senior AJ Ouimet who transferred to VSU last season from Central Connecticut State.  The Meriden, Conn., native, played in all seven tournaments last season for 20 rounds and a team-best 73.5 stroke average.  He fired a low-round at the Copperhead Championship (Oct. 14-15) and two total rounds in the 60s for the season with 18 rounds in the 70s.  
 
Senior Ben Trancygier also returns for the season, along with sophomores Davis Smith, Gage Smith and Chase Weathers.  Freshmen Ryan Pollman and Hayden Smith also return along with junior Parker Rowe.  Purvis added the services of five talented freshmen for the 2020-21 season, including Peyton Balent, Brandon Cho, Jackson Cross, Taylor Sweat and Trey Tesiero.
 
VSU is slated to open the 2020 fall season at the Limestone Fall Invitational in Camden, S.C., Oct. 5-6 at Camden County Country Club.  The Fall season concludes Oct. 26-27 in Gainesville, Ga., at the UNG Fall Invitational hosted by North Georgia at Chattahoochee Golf Club. 
 
The Blazers open the 2021 portion of the schedule at the Matlock Collegiate Feb. 14-15 hosted by Florida Southern at Lone Palm Golf Club in Lakeland, Fla.  The 2021 Southeastern Collegiate is scheduled for Mar. 15-16 at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club.  
 
The schedule for the 2020-21 season is subject to change.  Check back with vstateblazers.com for the latest information on men's golf and all 12 Blazer intercollegiate athletic teams.