MUSCLE SHOALS, Ala. - UALR freshman Alfred Kerstis is tied for seventh place after 18 holes at the 2012 Sun Belt Conference Golf Championships to help the Trojans sit fourth at the 11-team event. Kerstis fired a three-over par 75 to lead the Trojans on the first day, and heads into Tuesday's second round four-shots back of the current leader.

North Texas and Middle Tennessee are tied for first place in the team standings after carding matching 10-over par 298's in the first round at the par-72, 7,371-yard Fighting Joe Course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at the Shoals. South Alabama is in third place at 18-over par 306, followed by UALR at 20-over par 308.

UNT's Ty Spinella was the only player to break par in the first round and leads the 55-player field at one-under par 71. Florida Atlantic's Pablo Gerboles-Parrilla and MT's Brad Simons are tied for second place at one-over par 73, followed by a trio of players at two-over par 74. Kerstis is one of four players tied for seventh place at three-over par 75.

Freshman Colby Benton and sophomore Luis Cedeno are two-shots back of Kerstis in a tie for 16th place at five-over par 77. Freshman Benjamin Etchebarne and junior Nicklaus Benton checked in with a 79 and an 80 on the first day, respectively.

Tuesday's second round begins with groups teeing off of holes No. 1 and No. 10 at 8 a.m. Live scoring is available at www.GolfStat.com