Four state schools in NCAA Division II Super Regionals, OC grabs No. 1 seed

INDIANAPOLIS (April 26, 2019) – As expected, Oklahoma Christian will be the No. 1 seed from the South Central Region when the NCAA Division II men’s golf postseason begins.

The NCAA announced the fields for its four Division II Super Regional tournaments on Friday, something which was a formality for the Eagles, who already had clinched an automatic berth by winning the Heartland Conference Championship tournament last week. OC had moved into the No. 1 spot in the region rankings after that tournament.

Coach David Lynn‘s Eagles will join nine other South Central teams and 10 from the West Region in the South Central-West Super Regional, to be played May 9-11 at The Ledges Golf Club in St. George, Utah. OC played that course in a Regional Preview tournament in October.

The top four teams from the Super Regional, and top two players not with one of those teams, will advance to the Division II Championship, set for May 20-24 at The Resort at Glade Springs in Daniels, West Virginia. OC qualified for the national tournament in 2016 in its first season of eligibility to do so.

In the Central Region, Southeastern Oklahoma State, Southwestern Oklahoma State and Northeastern State all made the 10-team field. Rhett Bechtel of Southern Nazarene and Joe Lemieux of Central Oklahoma will compete as individuals.

OC also made the Super Regional field in 2018, finishing seventh, one shot out of a playoff for a spot in the national field.

Joining OC this year in the Super Regional from the South Central Region will be No. 2 seed St. Mary’s (Texas), Colorado Mines, Western New Mexico, Dixie State (Utah), Midwestern State (Texas), Colorado Mesa, St. Edward’s (Texas), Arkansas-Fort Smith and Lubbock Christian (Texas).

Representing the West Region will be top-seeded Chico State (Calif.), Western Washington, Sonoma State (Calif.), California State-East Bay, California State-Monterey Bay, Simon Fraser (British Columbia), Stanislaus State (Calif.), Concordia (Ore.), California-San Diego and Holy Names (Calif.).

Seven of the 20 teams in the Super Regional were ranked in the most recent Bushnell Golfweek Division II national poll – No. 4 Western Washington, No. 5 Chico State, No. 9 St. Mary’s, No. 12 Sonoma State, No. 13 OC, No. 18 Simon Fraser and No. 20 Cal State-Monterey Bay – while five others received votes.

All five of OC’s starters – Andres Brictson, Cameron Brown, Trevor Norby, Juan Pallach and Garrett White – have NCAA postseason experience.

The top-10 teams from the Central are paired with their counterparts from the Midwest Region and will play three rounds at the Hot Springs Country Club on May 9-11 in Hot Springs, Ark.   After the three-day tournament, the top six teams advance to the NCAA Championship on May 20-24 in Daniels W.V.

Northeastern State has advanced to the national finals twice with their last appearance coming in 2009.

Central Region:
1. Henderson State
2. Arkansas Tech [Great American Conference] 3. Southern Arkansas
4. Lindenwood (Missouri) [Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association] 5. Washburn
6. Southeastern Oklahoma State
7. Central Missouri
8. Southwestern Oklahoma State
9. Northeastern State
10. Winona State [Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference]

Individuals:
1. Patrick McCarthy, Missouri Western
2. Rhett Bechtel, Southern Nazarene
3. Ryan Camras, Harding
4. Joe Lemieux, Central Oklahoma

Midwest Region:
1. Indianapolis
2. Grand Valley State
3. Missouri-St. Louis
4. Ferris State [Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference] 5. Trevecca Nazarene [Great Midwest Athletic Conference] 6. Findlay
7. Wayne State (Michigan)
8. Hillsdale
9. Bellarmine
10. Maryville (Missouri) [Great Lakes Valley Conference]

Individuals:
1. Austin Kondratick, Ashland
2. Craig Stefureak, Drury
3. Jagger Richard, Northwood
4. Clayton Larsen, Drury