The men's golf team opens the 1990 spring season March 1, and although the faces have changed the location is very familiar.

The Lions will make their annual spring excursion to Huntington, Texas, for the two-day Sam Houston State Invitational.

Coach Mary Kennedy and her squad is no stranger to the Lone Star State. The team has entered the tournament the past five years. Last season they placed ninth in the field of 21. Nineteen Texas Division I and II schools and junior colleges along with Temple will join the Lions on the fairway.

Of the five members making teeing off at the Elkin Lake Country Club, only senior Kyle Ross went last year.

"Kyle brings good leadership and a feel for the golf course," Kennedy said. He will be joined by William Smith and Steve McEntee, both transfer students, freshman Matt Shiley and Dan Vona, who earned a spot after starting last fall.

Although three of the players have played in the South, Shiley has never competed on the Bermuda grass in Texas.

"We all need an adjustment period," Kennedy said, adding that playing on tougher courses enables the team to work on scoring ability before the NCAA Tournament.

"It gets us used to playing tournaments again. It's a good trip to get us going," Ross said.

Unlike the Texas schools, Penn State has had a tournament layoff since October because of the weather.

Despite its brief time together, the team is not lacking in experience.

"This is not a rebuilding year. We're a new team only in the sense of playing together," Kennedy said.

Ross, Shiley and Smith will be counted on to lead the squad. Smith led the fall team with a 74.4 average, Shiley carried a 74.5 mark and Ross shot 74.8 for the fall campaign.

The Lions are currently ranked third in their district behind Temple and St. John's.