As the college golf season gets ready to resume, Golfweek will preview each automatic-qualifier conference in Division I, offering picks to win, midseason All-Conference teams and more.
All of our conference previews will reside here.
Next up: Sun Belt
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Men
Conference championship: April 21-24, Raven GC, Miramar Beach, Fla.
Defending champion: Coastal Carolina
Team rankings: Arkansas State (21), Georgia Southern (50), Coastal Carolina (76), Arkansas-Little Rock (84), Louisiana-Monroe (104), Louisiana-Lafayette (110), South Alabama (118), Texas-Arlington (127), Texas State (136), Georgia State (151), Troy (156), Appalachian State (198)
Midseason All-Conference team: Steven Fisk, Georgia Southern (28); Zan Luka Stirn, Arkansas State (45); Joel Wendin, Arkansas State (85); Zack Taylor, Coastal Carolina (135); Julien Sale, Arkansas State (147)
What to expect: It was quite a fall for the Red Wolves, which Golfweek chronicled here. It’s match play on the men’s side for this conference, so that will blunt Arkansas State’s advantage a bit. Georgia Southern still boasts ace Steven Fisk, too. But the talent at Arkansas State is overwhelming and will ultimately prevail in a breakout season.
Pick to win: Arkansas State
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Women
Conference championship: April 15-17, LPGA International, Daytona Beach, Fla.
Defending champion: Coastal Carolina
Team rankings: Coastal Carolina (77), Troy (120), Texas State (122), Georgia Southern (129), South Alabama (134), Appalachian State (165), Georgia State (171), Arkansas State (178), Louisiana-Monroe (185), Arkansas-Little Rock (195), Texas-Arlington (212)
Midseason All-Conference team: Ella Ofstedahl, Georgia Southern (183); Ansley Bowman, Georgia Southern (244); Marie Lunackova, Coastal Carolina (294); Nicole Lorup, Troy (324); Anne-Charlotte Mora, Texas State (391)
What to expect: The defending champs are well ahead of the pack again. There’s not much else to say here. Coastal Carolina dominated the conference championship last year, and I fully expect the Chanticleers to do so again.
Pick to win: Coastal Carolina
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