PETALUMA, Calif – Sonoma State, which has claimed two NCAA Division II national championships, will try to add a third title next week when the Seawolves' men’s golf team competes in Houston.  The squad made their trip to their anticipated trip to the nationals official on Wednesday as they wrapped up their first West Region Championship in just their fifth season of existence.

    SSU’s 2002 men’s soccer team and 1990 women’s soccer team each captured NCAA championships and the golf team is in position to make it three national banners when they play at Memorial Park GC in Houston May 14-18.
    The Seawolves, the top regional seed and ranked No. 2 in the nation,  made it official in Wednesday’s third round of the NCAA Division II West Regional at par-72, 6,840-yard Adobe Creek GC.
 SSU struggled a little after taking a 19-stroke lead following Tuesday’s second round, shooting  a final-round team score of  11-over-par 299, giving the Seawolves a three-day total of 3-under-par 861 and a  12-shot victory over second-place Western Washington (873).
  Third place went to Grand Canyon (880) with Cal State San Bernardino and Cal State Stanislaus tying for third (881).
 Former Ukiah High star athlete Ryan Sperry claimed medalist honors, shooting rounds of  74-68-69—211, 5 under par.
  Erick Justesen of Cal State Stanislaus, Jake Koppenberg of Western Washington and Gene Webster of Cal State San Bernardino tied for second at 212.
  SSU’s Jarin Todd, who got as low as 7 under par for the tournament Wednesday, finished with a 75 and tied teammate Patrick Bauer for fifth at 3-under-par 213.
 SSU’s Jacob O’Keefe shot even-par 216, Kyle Hopkins was at 6-over 222 and Chris Galvin finished at 7-over 223.
   While the regional champ automatically qualified for the nationals, at-large berths were available to the next three lowest-scoring teams in the combined (Northwest and West)   Super Regional at Adobe Creek.
  No teams from the Northwest shot low enough to qualify but the three from the West who made it include Western Washington, Grand Canyon and San Bernardino, which won in a team playoff with Stanislaus.
The low individual (entered in the regional as an individual or an individual on a team that did not qualify for the nationals), was Justesen with a three-round score of 4-under-par 212.
  The average tournament score was 74.84, following 73.84 under much more favorable weather conditions Tuesday.
   “This year’s team is not that much different than last year,” said SSU coach Val Verhunce, whose Seawolves finished 13th out of 20 teams at the 2007 NCAA finals in Michigan. “But this team has matured this season and it shows.”
  Verhunce, who started the SSU men’s golf program five years ago, said “we have learned to control the things we can control and also what we can’t.”
  In Houston, SSU will be one of 10 regional champs in a field that will also include 10 at-large teams and 10 individuals, one from each region. The tournament will be a 72-hole, four-day event.
   Barry University of Florida is the defending men’s champ.

West Region Statistics

NORTHWEST REGION: 

Colorado Springs Wraps Up Northwest Region Title

   PETALUMA, Calif. – Colorado-Colorado Springs held on to its second-day lead and coasted to the team title at the NCAA Division II Northwest Regional golf tournament at par-72, 6,840-yard Adobe Creek GC Wednesday.
   The Mountain Lions shot a final-round team total of  3-over-par 291, giving them a three-day total of 875, 11 over par, 23 shots ahead of second-place Western New Mexico, to qualify for the NCAA Division II national tournament at Memorial Park GC in Houston.
  The 72-hole event starts next Wednesday, May 14, and runs through Saturday. Barry University of Florida is the defending men’s NCAA champ.
   Third place in the Northwest Regional went to Nebraska-Kearney (902, 38 over par) with Minnesota State-Mankato finishing fourth (905, 41 over par).
  While the regional champ automatically qualified for the nationals, at-large berths were available to the next three lowest-scoring teams in the combined (Northwest and West) Super Regional but no other Northwest teams made it.
  Northwest medalist honors were shared by Western New Mexico’s Scott Crichton (72-71-76—219, 3 over par) and Nebraska-Kearney’s Max Hadenfeldt (73-74-72—219, 3 over par).
  Tyler Bishop of Colorado-Colorado Springs, David Cosel of Colorado-Colorado Springs, David Duarte of Colorado State-Pueblo and Todd Napikowski of Colorado-Colorado Springs tied for third with 220.
   In Houston, Colorado-Colorado Springs, the top Nortthwest Region seed and  ranked No. 29  in the nation , will be one of 10 regional champs in a field that will also include 10 at-large teams. The tournament will be a 72-hole, four-day event.

Northwest Region Statistics