While San Diego State basketball and football have done well to garner national attention throughout the course of the past two years, the SDSU’s men’s golf team has quietly earned its right as a contender for the NCAA National Championship.

Led by sophomore Todd Baek and seniors J.J. Spaun and Alex Kang, all of whom were among the Golf World 50 Men’s College Players to Watch, the Aztecs enter the 2011-2012 season with high expectations after having been named No. 6 and No. 14 in the nation by Golfweek and Golf World in their respective preseason polls.

Head coach Ryan Donovan enters his ninth season at the helm of the SDSU golf program with confidence.

“We have all but one of last year’s players returning and have added (former Mountain West Conference freshman of the year) Matt Hoffenberg, who didn’t play for us last season,” Donovan said. “Expectations are definitely high right now.”

Donovan went on to discuss his expectations of the Aztecs’ performance in the MWC.

“Our goal is to win the MWC. That’s what we’re aiming to do and I think our chances are very good,” Donovan said. “We need to go out and take it week by week, but overall that’s definitely our number one goal.”

After having had its first scheduled tournament canceled because of rain, SDSU men’s golf will look to kick off its campaign at the William H. Tucker Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M. from tomorrow through Saturday.

The Aztecs won seven tournaments including their first MW and NCAA Regional Championships, good for the second-most tournament victories in the nation behind No. 1 Oklahoma State. Look for this year’s squad to make some noise in the MW and NCAA conferences.