LEBANON, Pa. - - The Wilmington University golf team shot an opening round 303 at the 2023 NCAA Division II Atlantic/East Super Regional and is in contention in sixth place after Thursday's round at the Iron Valley Golf Club, hosted by Millersville.

The team's 303 (+15) are just six strokes off the top of the leaderboard, currently occupied by Adelphi (297, +9). The top three teams will advance to the NCAA National Tournament, and the Wildcats are currently just three strokes away from Charleston (W.Va.) who shot a 300 (+12) on Thursday.

The Wildcats were led by Matthew Pulgini's 74 (+2), as he leads the tournament with six birdies after the first round. Three of the birdies came on the final three holes of the day, trimming his round from five-over par after 15 holes to his two-over par 74. He birdied the par-four ninth to get to one-under at the turn, but then went six-over in the next five holes before his final run.

Nathan Potts was a stroke off Pulgini, finishing in a tie for 22^nd overall with a 75 (+3). He got it done on the par five holes, going two-under par on the four long holes. Potts had four birdies and got to as low as one-under par after back-to-back birdies on six and seven. His four birdies are tied for fourth in the tournament.

Tyler Cleaves was a stroke off of Potts, shooting a 76 (+4) in his first round. He was steady on all the par four holes, finishing tied for 11^th in the field in shooting one-over par on the par four holes. He is also tied for fifth in the tournament with 13 pars on the day. He played an even front nine and was even through 11 before finishing four-over par.

Pablo Quintero rounded out the Wildcats' scoring on Thursday with a 78 (+6) and in a tie for 47^th overall. He had similar rounds as the other Wildcats, being even par through the front nine. He birdied the par five seventh to get back to even par, but then the back nine proved to be difficult.

Jan Lekes rounded out the Wildcats on the course on Thursday, finishing in a tie for 100^th with an 84 (+12). A five-over first hole set Lekes back, but he birdied the par four second and the par five seventh on the front nine.

Adelphi leads with their 297 followed by Le Moyne's 298 (+10) and Charleston's 300 (+12). Gannon is in fourth with a 301 (+13) and David Elkins is right in front of the Wildcats in fifth with a 302 (+14).

St. Thomas Aquinas' Donte Groppuso leads the group of 108 golfers with a 69 (-3). Le Moyne's Tyler Birdd is in second with a 70 (-2).

The Wildcats are set to tee off in the second round on Friday starting at 11:40 a.m.