STOCKTON, Calif. – Fresh off their CCAA championship run, the Chico State men's golf team opened play at the NCAA Division II South Central/West Super Regional on Thursday at The Reserve at Spanos Park.

The Wildcats sit tied for 12th after the opening round, posting a team score of 293 (+5). Chico State struggled to find consistency over the first 18 holes but remains within striking distance heading into Friday's second round, trailing by 10 strokes.

Western Washington leads the field at 283 (-5), holding a one-stroke advantage over West Texas A&M. Three CCAA programs—Cal State San Marcos, Cal State San Bernardino and Cal State East Bay—are positioned inside the top 10.

Vineet Vallamsetty led the Wildcats with an even-par 72, closing his round strong with two birdies over his final three holes.

Alex LemMon and Naoki Easterday each carded 73 (+1). LemMon highlighted his round with an eagle on the 16th hole but played the final two holes at 3-over.

Ty Weaver posted a 75 (+3) in his first NCAA Super Regional round, while Giuseppe Aliotti recorded a 78 (+6).

Chico State returns to the course Friday, teeing off at 8:20 a.m. for the second round, looking to climb the leaderboard and build momentum heading into Saturday's final round.