Five Men's Golf Teams Earn NCAA Regional Bids

Colorado State, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV and TCU to compete in postseason play

May 5, 2009

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -

The Mountain West Conference will have five teams represented in the 2009 NCAA Men's Golf Regional, announced Monday by the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Committee. This will be the ninth time in the last 10 years the MWC has had at least five institutions invited to the NCAA Regionals.

TCU earned the automatic berth after capturing the conference championship last week in Tucson, Ariz., and will be joined by Colorado State, New Mexico, San Diego State and UNLV. Individually, Tom Whitney of Air Force and Brady Johnson and Robbie Fillmore of BYU were selected to compete in the regional format.

Six 54-hole regional tournaments will be conducted May 14-16. Thirteen teams and 10 individuals not on those teams will compete at each of three regionals, while the other three regionals will have 14 teams and five individuals not on those teams. The low five teams and the low individual not on those teams will advance to the finals from each regional.

The championships will be conducted May 26-30 at the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio. The University of Toledo is the host institution for this year's championships.

TCU earned a berth to its 20th consecutive NCAA appearance and will be the third seed in the South Central region to be held at the Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Okla., on May 14-16. The Horned Frogs look to return to the championship finals for the first time since 2004.

San Diego State earned its 11th consecutive bid to the NCAA Regionals and will compete in the West Regional to be held at Lake Merced Golf Club in Daly City, Calif. in Daly City, Calif. SDSU received the No. 4 seed and will be attempting to make back-to-back NCAA Championships for the first time since its streak of 11 consecutive appearances ended in 1984.

New Mexico will also compete in Daly City, Calif., and will be the No. 7 seed. The Lobos have qualified for the regional round every year except for 2008 since the NCAA introduced the format in 1989. New Mexico has advanced to the championship finals six of the last nine years, with its last appearance in 2007.

UNLV will be a fifth seed at the Southwest Regional, which will be played at the University of Texas Golf Club in Austin. The invitation marks the Rebels 21st straight appearance in a NCAA Regional, which is the NCAA record for most consecutive appearances. UNLV is attempting to advance to the championship finals for the first time since 2006.

Colorado State enters the Northeast Regional as the No. 6 seed, the highest seed ever attained in the program's 19-year history. The bid marks the Rams' 13th appearance in the NCAA regional since 1996 and the ninth berth in 10 seasons under the guidance of Head Coach Jamie Bermel. Columbia University will host the event at the Galloway National Golf Club in Galloway, N.J.

Individually, Air Force's Tom Whitney will compete in the South Central Regional at the Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Okla., while Brady Johnson and Robbie Fillmore of BYU have been invited to the West Regional in Daly City, Calif.