VICKSBURG, Miss. - The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Golden Lions participated in the 2018 River City Challenge hosted by Alcorn State University. UAPB finished in third place with an overall score of 688.

Derek Loew shot the second lowest score on day two with a 74 and finished with a combined score of 156 which was good for eighth place overall in the tournament.

Fellow Golden Lion Alberto Uriegas Jr. shot 81 on the second day and finished with an overall score of 164 which put him at 11th place overall. The sophomore from Edinburg, Texas, got his first taste at collegiate golf as a Golden Lion during this Classic.

"I thought it was a great tournament to start off with for my college career," said Uriegas Jr. "It wasn't a bad tournament in terms of my scores. There is a lot that I can improve on, but this was a good step to move forward on."

When asked how long he has trained for this moment, Uriegas chuckled.

"I played golf ever since I could walk." said Uriegas Jr. "My older sisters played golf in high school so as a kid I would go out with them all the time and practice. When I was little, my parents got me a plastic golf set and I would hit the ball around the house. I always had a chair on my back to represent a golf bag and carried it around the house while playing."

UAPB head golf coach Roger Totten was encouraged with his team's performance on opening weekend.

The Golden Lions will return to action at the Alabama State University Spring Golf Kickoff on Feb. 25-27 in Montgomery, Alabama.