TUCSON, Ariz. – Paced by the top 10 play of Mike McGilton and Kenneth Fadke II, the New Mexico State Aggies got a solid start to the National Invitational Tournament Sunday at the Catalina Course of the Omni Tucson National Resort.
 
McGilton, a sophomore from Chandler, Ariz./Perry, fired a 3-under-par 69 on the par 72, 7,200 yard Catalina layout to stand tied for fifth after the first round as he led the Aggies. Fadke, a senior from Hobbs, N.M., shot a 2-under 70 to join the logjam tied for ninth.
 
As a team the Aggies chalked up an even-par 288 and sit in a seventh place tie following the first round.
 
Junior Luis Medina of Guadalajara, Mexico/Montverde Academy carded a 1-over 73, and in the top half of the field tied for 39th.
 
Freshman Davis Chung of Las Cruces, N.M./High put up a 4-over 76 in the first round for the Aggies, while sophomore Isaac Merry of Las Cruces, N.M./Onate added a 5-over 77.
 
McGilton posted four birdies on Sunday, with his only bogey coming on the par 3 seventh hole.
 
Fadke was up and down all day, with four bogeys and four birdies before he eagled the par 5 15th and parred his final three holes.
 
The Aggies are knotted with Iowa State and UC Davis in seventh at 288, one stroke behind New Mexico at 287 in sixth and two behind Colorado State at 286 in fifth. The trio is one stroke ahead of Notre Dame in tenth.  Nevada and Santa Clara share the first round lead at 10-under 278, with Wyoming third at 6-under 282 and host Arizona fourth at 3-under 285.
 
Individually, Santa Clara's Hayden Shieh blistered the course with his 10-under 62 on Sunday. Nevada's Nick Fuller and UNM's Gustavo Morantes are in second with a 5-under 67. Iowa State's Nick Voke is fourth at 4-under 68.
 
The Aggies open up the second round of the tournament in the first groupings off the No. 1 tee at 8 a.m. NM State plays with Iowa State and UC Davis in the second loop of the Omni Tucson National course.