In a field featuring 30 of the NCAA's top teams, the Aztecs finished tied for 16th, while the Rams placed 30th. San Diego State junior J.J. Spaun, one of six underclassmen on a team that features just one senior, finished in a tie for third in the individual standings.
It was the second consecutive season and eighth time in league history that at least two men's golf teams represented the Mountain West at the NCAA National Championships.
The tournament, which runs through Sunday, continues Friday with the top eight finishers --- UCLA, Georgia Tech, Oklahoma State, Illinois,, Georgia, Ohio State, Augusta State and Duke --- taking part in match play. The national title will be determined between the top two teams on Sunday. The individual national champion was crowned Thursday, with LSU's John Peterson taking honors after finishing with a 54-hole total of 5-under 211.
No. 7 seed San Diego State, which pocketed its first NCAA regional title last month at the Southwest Regional in Tucson, Ariz., had two players --- Spaun and freshman Todd Baek --- finish in the top 10. Spaun, who carded a 1-under 71 on Thursday, concluded the 54-hole tournament with a 1-under 215. Meanwhile, Baek finished in a tie for 10th place. After shooting even-par 72 on each of the first two days of the tournament, Baek finished with a 1-over 217. As a team, the Aztecs had a 54-hole total of 898 (34-over).
Unseeded Colorado State, which was participating in its second NCAA Championship and first since 1999 following its second-place finish at the NCAA South-Central Regional in Erie, Colo., was led by junior Zahkai Brown (13-over 229) and senior Ryan Peterson (16-over 232). Brown finished tied for 88th, while Peterson concluded the tournament tied for 106th. The Rams finished with a team score of 937 (73-over).
No. 2 seed UCLA (8-over 872) topped the team standings.
For more information on Mountain West men's golf, follow the MW on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TheMWC and www.Twitter.com/TheMWCOlySports. For the latest news from around the league, become a Facebook fan at www.Facebook.com/MountainWestConference, check out its official YouTube channel at www.YouTube.com/MountainWestConf, and read the league's official blog at www.TheMWC.com/blog.
Mick McGrane has covered the Mountain West since the league's inception in 1999. He spent 12 years at the San Diego Union-Tribune, where he served as the beat writer for San Diego State football and men's basketball. He currently represents the MW as a member of the Football Writers Association of America All-America Committee and is a member of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. McGrane serves as senior writer to the Mountain West, providing readers with exclusive, in-depth information about the Conference by highlighting its 10 member institutions and contributing feature stories on student-athletes that participate in the league's 18 sponsored sports.
Mark Knudson is a Colorado State journalism school graduate and a 12-year veteran of professional baseball. During his playing career, Mark pitched for three major league teams, including the Colorado Rockies, where he was the first Colorado native to play for the hometown team. He recorded wins over three of the four legendary pitchers who make up the 4,000 strikeout club: Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson and Roger Clemens. His win over Ryan came for the Milwaukee Brewers on Opening Day in 1991.
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