KEYSER, W.Va. — The Potomac State College golf team was ranked No. 3 in the final National Junior College Athletic Association Division II poll of the season.

The ranking tops the previous school best of 18th, in the spring of 2003.

Individually, the Catamounts placed several golfers among the top 50 in the nation, with Brendan Dillon the leader, ranked 12th overall.

Brian Affleck was No. 13, Matt Pellillo No. 26 and Luke Dempsey No. 34.

Potomac State won its third straight Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference championship and a second straight Pennsylvania Collegiate Athletic Association championship. Those were the highest honors the team could receive during the fall season.

“The team had a great year and deserves all the praise it can get,’’ said Potomac State coach Aaron Edwards. “The ranking is nice and finally gives us the national exposure we felt we deserved. Now it means we have to live up to the hype and that is the hard part.”

Overall, the Catamounts were 59-1 against two-year schools and 21-2 in two West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference events, finishing second to Ohio Valley in both.

Dillon carried a scoring average of 75, Affleck 75.14, Pellillo 76.75, and Dempsey 76.83. Pellillo won the PCAA state tournament, Dempsey the WPCC championship, and Affleck the Burger King Invitational, the largest college tournament in West Virginia. Dillon was runner-up in the conference and state tournaments. All four were first-team all-conference and all-state.

South Mountain (Ariz.) was ranked No. 1 and Darton (Ga.) was No. 2. Potomac State and Chandler-Gilbert (Ariz.) tied for third.

The Catamounts begin the spring season in March, seeking a Region XX Championship and a spot in the National Tournament, which will be held at Goose Pond Colony Golf Course in Scottsboro, Ala.