FORT LEE, Va. -- The Fayetteville State Broncos are right where they need to be – and expected to be.

Chasing their 26thCIAA Golf Championship, the Broncos placed five players among the top seven and carded a team aggregate score of 2-over-par 290 to take a four-shot lead following the first round of the CIAA Golf Tournament at Cardinal Golf Course.

But the Broncos will be tested. Defending league champion Virginia State is at 6-over 294 thanks to a 2-under 70 by tournament leader Stephen Genchi, who leads Winston-Salem State’s Glendon Mabe by one stroke. Four golfers, including Fayetteville State’s Jedidiah Frazier and Brandon Jobe, are another shot back after firing even par 72s on the 6,411-yard course.

Fayetteville State, which won both the CIAA Northern and Southern Division tournaments earlier this season, has won 10 of the last 14 CIAA titles and 15 total championships under coach Raymond McDougal.

And they are in position to add to those totals. Jacob Barge, Lincoln Jackson and Michael Wallace each had rounds of 1-over 73, placing five Broncos’ players within three shots of the lead and well in contention.

Virginia State’s Josh Boyd and Rashad Hunt are among a group at 2 over and in a tie for 12th while Aaron Bryant shot a 4-over 76.

Winston-Salem State, led by Mabe and Wesley Griswold, who shot an even par 72, is 10 strokes back of Fayetteville State after a team total of 12-over 300. Chowan is fourth at 311 while St. Augustine’s (323) is fifth, Livingstone (325) is sixth, Virginia Union (332) is seventh and Elizabeth City State (367) is eighth.

The final round will begin at 8 a.m. on Friday.