CSU, UNC headed to Pullman NCAA Regional; DU will play in Stanford; Dunkle, Seiple, O’Loughlin also in regional fields
By Gary Baines – 05/01/2019
Colorado-based men’s NCAA Division I golf teams bucked the odds this year.
On Wednesday night, three Colorado DI men’s programs formally earned berths in NCAA Regional tournaments. That’s a banner year by Centennial State standards.
Based on the last decade, the majority of the years (six times in 10 seasons), just one Colorado team — out of the five men’s DI programs in the state — has landed a regional spot.
But Wednesday marked the second straight year — and third in the last decade — that three Centennial State men’s DI teams have made the grade.
In a prime-time telecast on Wednesday, Golf Channel revealed the 81 teams and 54 individuals not on those teams that will compete at six regional sites May 13-15.
That included the University of Denver, which on Monday won the Summit League title; the University of Northern Colorado, the Big Sky Conference champion for the second straight year; and Colorado State University, the Mountain West Conference runner-up three years running. CSU and DU even received some air time on Golf Channel during Wednesday night’s telecast.
It will be DU’s first regional appearance since 2014, while CSU and UNC will be going for the second straight year. Prior to 2018, CSU hadn’t landed a regional berth since 2012 and UNC since 2014.
CSU and UNC will play their regionals in Pullman, Wash., with the Rams seeded seventh and the Bears 12th. Oklahoma is the top seed at the site. In addition, the University of Colorado’s Daniel O’Loughlin will compete as an individual in Pullman.
DU will be the 13th seed in the 13-team Stanford, Calif. Regional, where Arizona State is the top seed. Ole Miss, with Coloradan Josh Seiple one of its regulars, is seeded ninth in Stanford. Also competing at the site is 2018 CGA Amateur champion Kyler Dunkle, a senior at Utah.
Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Mark Crabtree and his Louisville Cardinals will host a regional in Kentucky as the No. 4 seed. Oklahoma State, considered the top team in the nation, is the No. 1 seed there.
Meanwhile, the CU men saw their run of consecutive NCAA Regional team appearances end at six.
The top five team finishers — and the top individual not on one of those teams — from each regional will advance to the NCAA Championship Finals, set for May 24-29 in Fayetteville, Ark.
For a story on the upcoming women’s NCAA Division I, CLICK HERE.