Coach Mary Kennedy has said the depth of the men's golf team will allow her to make changes in the lineup if the need would arise.

The validity of that statement will be tested as the Lions play in the King's Mill Invitational today and tomorrow in Williamsburg, Va.

Sophomore William Smith, who carried a team-low 74.4 average in the fall season and was one of a trio of golfers to lead the team in Houston in the team's last match, will miss this weekend's event. He and Kennedy collectively decided that he would stay at school to focus and catch up on academic work.

"Golf is 90 percent mental. You need to be cleared of all other outside interference in order to concentrate," Smith said. "I need to get ready and prepared for the rest of the season."

This is the only tournament of the year to take place on a Monday and Tuesday. Consequently, Smith, a recreation and parks major, will stay behind to attend classes and finish a project over the weekend.

"We'll miss William, but we hope he'll be back for the next tournament," Kennedy said. "We're disappointed, but academics are number one."

The men's golf team was the top academic team last year based on grade point average.

Kennedy has inserted freshman Jason Tyska into the lineup for the Virginia trip. He will join Kyle Ross, Dan Vona, Matt Shiley and Steve McEntee, all of whom went to the Lions' opening competition.

Tyska competed in one tournament last fall, shooting an 80 at the Toski Intercollegiate Invitational in Massachusetts last October.

"Jason is a good, intelligent player although he's not as experienced collegiately as the other members. He's a good listener and he has a very mature attitude on the golf course," Kennedy said.

Tyska is looking forward to the challenge and the opportunity to play. He is not concerned about his lack of competitive experience on the college level.

"It's not so much a question of competitiveness as it is confidence in my game," Tyska said.

The King's Mill Invitational is an important stop in the Lions' schedule because it is the team's first opportunity to compete against many of the teams in its district.

The two-day event, hosted by William & Mary, will feature 18 teams including Temple, St. John's and Army, and other district competition from Virginia and North Carolina.

Winning the district title would help give the Lions a berth in the NCAA Regional Championships this May. The top three teams in the district will be extended an invitation to the regionals.

King's Mill, a par-71 course, is a new venue for the Penn State golfers. As the home of the PGA Anheuser-Busch Golf Classic, the greens should be in excellent condition depending on the weather.

To get comfortable with the new surrounding, Kennedy has stressed the importance of the practice round.

"It will help each person get familiar with the conditions and make friends with the course," she said.

Ross said the team must work hard in the practice rounds to adjust to the course. The main concern with this site is the greens.

"The course has fast greens. We haven't played fast greens in awhile," he said.