CSUN PREVIEW: CSUN RETURNS STRONG MEN'S GOLFERS WILL `BE RIGHT IN IT'.

Byline: Dave Shelburne Staff Writer

This could be the year of the Matador.

Again.

The Cal State Northridge women's golf team got it started last season, winning the school's first Big West Conference championship in that sport.

Coach Jim Bracken is hoping for the same from his men's team this season, which gets under way in about five weeks.

``I think it's going to be good,'' said Bracken, a CSUN veteran of more than 20 years as a player or coach. ``I think we're going to be right in it.''

His optimism, and that of his returning and graduated players, is based on how well the Matadors nearly played last season, when so many were so new to the program. Another reason is the addition of a strong recruiting class and an especially talented walk-on player.

``I wish I had another year because they're going to be good,'' said Scott Bashin, a three-year starter who graduated on schedule, then played in his third State Amateur championship.

Seniors Pete Sisich and Brad Uptgraft are expected to lead the charge on a team that also returns juniors James Driscoll, J.P. Polacarpio and Chris Rulfs and sophomores Jonathan Feurhelm of Alemany High of Mission Hills and James Song of Oxnard.

Sisich begins his final college season as an All-Big West player and school record-holder after averaging 72.7 last season to eclipse the old school standard of 73.2, established by current PGA Tour player Bob Burns.

He also comes back wanting more.

``He wasn't happy with his year,'' Bracken said. ``He got tired of shooting par. But he was so consistent. When he played bad, he was 73 or 74. In the last round of the Big West tournament he shot 65, and he wants more of that.''

Uptgraft also falls into a more-of category, extending a remarkable CSUN tradition this summer, when he became the fifth Matador to win the Los Angeles City men's championship, following a trail blazed by three-time City winners Michael Turner and four-time titlist Tim Hogarth.

``I wish I could bottle it up,'' Bracken said after Uptgraft gave the CSUN program its 10th City title since 1986.

Bracken gets the next best thing with the return of the hard-working Uptgraft, who was one of the leaders on College of the Canyons' third state championship team in 2001.

``Brad will be solid,'' said Canyons coach Gary Peterson, who could have three former Cougars contributing at CSUN this coming season. ''It's his last year, and I'm looking for him to make a big statement.''

Canyons transfer Aaron Frei, who shot 65 to take medalist honors in a Southern California Golf Association Championship qualifier at Robinson Ranch this year, is part of a CSUN recruiting class that also includes former Oregon prep whiz Phil Contino and ex-Westlake High star Doug Miller.

``Contino was ranked among the top eight players in Oregon, and Miller is going to be a great asset,'' Bracken said of the former Westlake postseason qualifier. Miller played as a freshman at Texas-Arlington, obtained a mandatory associate in arts degree at Moorpark College as a double transfer and joins the Matadors with three years of college eligibility left.

Peterson is high on former Colorado prep Frei.

``He's a competitor and he knows how to score even when he's not striking the ball well,'' Peterson said of Frei, who has two years of eligibility remaining.

The other potential contributor from Canyons is former El Camino Real of Woodland Hills golfer Tommy Mansuwan, who delivered the winning points in Canyons' state tournament victory two years ago, when he also qualified for the State Amateur.

Bracken, who recruited Mansuwan unsuccessfully before using up the available CSUN scholarships for this year, welcomes the former Canyons state-tournament hero as a walk-on.

``He committed so late, we didn't have any spots left, the CSUN coach said.

Peterson believes Mansuwan has the ability to play himself onto the Matadors' roster after playing among Canyons' top three last season despite being limited by a chest-muscle injury.

``He's as talented as any player we've had,'' Peterson said.

Song and Feurhelm also are talents, Song advancing to the Southern Section final as an individual in his final season at Oxnard. Feurhelm followed his senior season at Alemany by tying and then breaking the course record at Porter Valley Country Club.

Bracken is unsure how it will all work out this season in a conference that has been tough on the Matadors, but he likes CSUN's chances.

``I think we're close,'' he said.

Dave Shelburne, [phone]

dave.shelburne(at)dailynews.com