Ryan Cornfield of Upstate has been selected to play in the NCAA Chapel Hill regional

USC Upstate golfer Ryan Cornfield has received an invitation to play in the Chapel Hill NCAA Regional.

Cornfield is the first Upstate golfer to earn a spot in an NCAA post season championship since the school became a Division I member in 2007.

The previous appearance for a USC Upstate golfer or team was in the school’s final year of NCAA Division II competition when the Spartans finished second after the 2007 season.

Cornfield began the season with four Top 10 efforts, three in the Top 5, in five tournaments in the fall. He capped the fall by winning the Wendy’s Kiawah Classic in November for his first career tournament victory.

The Spartan junior earned All-Atlantic Sun honors for the second straight year.

“It is nice to be recognized for the amount of work that has been put in over the last year,” said Cornfield. “This is a team effort. It’s Coach (Todd) Lawton, Coach (Josh) Gallman and my teammates,” he said.

Cornfield will be one of 13 individuals who will be competing for a chance to advance to the national finals. Only the top individual, not on one of the qualifying teams, gets a chance to keep playing.

“I know how big this is for the school and this program. But, I am quite comfortable in the situation with having expectations and pressure placed on me.  I am ready and excited for the challenge,” he said.