After a successful four-event fall, the Chico State men's golf team is returning to play next week, starting what it hopes is a spectacular spring season. The Wildcats are one of 17 squads teeing off at the Cal State San Marcos (CSUSM) Fujikura Invitational on Monday and Tuesday at Shadowridge Golf Club in Vista. The Wildcats had a nice spring, finishing 69^th in the Golfstat Relative rankings, which is second best in the California Collegiate Athletic Association and fourth in the West Region.
 
They are ranked No. 4 in the first installment of the NCAA Division II West Region rankings, released Friday, after winning the season-opening Western Washington Invitational, and adding two third-place finishes and a fifth-place mark. Chris Colla led the way among individuals with three top-five finishes and a stroke average of 72.40. Tyler Ashman notched two top-10s. This week, Ashman and Colla will be joined by Michael Stephens, Kyle Katz, and Dakota Ochoa to form the Wildcats' lineup.
 
Eight of the top 11-ranked teams in the West Region will be in action in Vista, including No. 1 Stanislaus State, No. 2 Western Washington, No. 3 Cal State San Bernardino, No. 4 Chico State, and No. 5 Cal State San Marcos. It is a stacked 17-team field that also includes three of the South Central Region's top-10 teams.
 
The Wildcats have historically fared well at the Fujikura Invitational, finishing as the runner up three times (2016, 2018, 2019) and coming in fourth once (2020) in their four appearances. Kelley Sullivan won medalist honors in 2019 and Lee Gearhart did it in 2016. Colla has competed there three times, finishing tied for 15^th, tied for 18^th, and tied for 26^th. Ochoa joined him there in 2020 and finished tied for 32^nd.
 
A link to live results is available in the calendar section of the homepage and on the men's golf schedule page at www.chicowildcats.com.