The Collegiate Disc Golf Championships return to North Augusta's Hippodrome today with many of the names that finished atop last year's leaderboard back to compete for a national championship.

Among them is Georgia graduate student Nick Evans, who cruised to a five-shot win and a national title in 2008.

Evans, the only competitor to have top-five finishes in each of the two previous national championships, says carrying around the title of "national champion" hasn't had much of an effect on him over the past year.

"Being national champ has been no big deal," Evans said. "The only people who really know are my buddies that I play with all the time, and when they beat me they like to say that they beat the champ."

Evans also hopes to lead the Bulldogs to a third consecutive team title. Georgia won last April by eight strokes.

"We have a solid team again this year and would love to repeat, but there are a lot of new teams to compete with," said Evans.

Kentucky's Josh Winfrey will try to improve upon a pair of second-place finishes in 2008. The senior helped the Wildcats finish behind Georgia in the team competition, and he was the runner-up among individuals.

Coming to the Augusta area, he's hoping to not only earn a win for himself, but to make up for -- if only in a small part -- for the loss of another Kentucky golfer a week earlier.

"I really want to win this tournament," Winfrey said. "I think Kenny Perry said the same thing (at the Masters), but it didn't work out for him. Hopefully, I can get a win for myself and for all Kentuckians."

Clemson's Ray Cartledge is also looking for his first national title in his final attempt. The senior earned All-American status, given to anyone finishing in the top-six of the championships last season, but doesn't want to leave school without a title for his school.

Cartledge says a major focus for his Tigers is being the first team to take down the two-time defending champion Bulldogs.

"Beating Georgia would definitely be at the top of my list," Cartledge said. "I would love to come back this year and try to pull off the upset."

Augusta State enters this year's tournament for the first time as a team. Last year, the Jaguars only brought two members, Michael Cordaro and Reid Hair, who competed in the doubles event. Teams must be made up of at least three players. With a team now intact, Augusta State, coming in as a seeded team, is hoping to perform well in front of its local fans.

"Last year, we really only had Michael Cordaro and myself. Establishing a name for Augusta State and having fun were the only two intentions, since we didn't even have enough players to qualify or place," Hair said. "We really don't have that issue this year, though. The way our team has molded recently is incredible. We want our hometown to come and see Augusta State make an intense run at the championship. We really want to blow the competition away."

The players all rave about their previous experience in North Augusta. For a sport that doesn't rank attention-wise with the likes of basketball and football, the participants say this tournament feels every bit as big as any other national championship.

"It's the best disc golf tournament I've ever been a part of," Whitney said. "From the moment you step on the course, it has a special feel to it. It has a great atmosphere."

The tournament has grown both in popularity and in participation every year. Most players credit Pete and Patrick May, of the Greater Augusta Sports Council, for pulling off.

"I have to say that Pete and Patrick May -- and everyone else that helps with this tournament -- do a fantastic job," Evans said. "I remember two years ago when I first met Pete, he said he would have 50 teams participating before we knew it. We thought he was crazy but, sure enough, he was right."