The Kennesaw State men’s golf team advanced to the NCAA tournament for the fourth consecutive year.
The Owls, an at-large bid by the selection committee on Monday, are the fourth seed in a regional in Chapel Hill. It is the first time in school history the team has received a top-five seed in a regional.
“That’s very encouraging for our program,” coach Jay Moseley said.
The team is No. 24 in golfstat.com’s rankings with a 71.98 adjusted scoring average after two wins and seven more top-three finishes this year. It is paced by Atlantic Sun player of year Teremoana Beaucousin, a sophomore with a 71.14 scoring average and five top-10 finishes this year. Jimmy Beck was also named to the first team, with Fredrik Nilehn and Austin Vick making the second team.
The Owls played the Finley Golf Course, site of the regional, in its second tournament this season, finishing tied for fourth at the Tar Heel Intercollegiate with an even-par 864.
Moseley said he expects the course will play differently than it did back in September, with firmer greens.
However, he likes his team’s chances to advance because he has a well-rounded team playing that will play a course that doesn’t demand a team do anything particularly well.
“We are a good ball-striking team,” he said. “At times, we have shown have good short games. We are a well-rounded in terms of fundamentals. We are confident we can putt with the best teams in the country.”
The regional includes (in order of seeding): Florida State, Stanford, North Carolina, Kennesaw State, Wake Forest, Clemson, Florida, Georgia Regents, North Carolina-Charlotte, McNeese State, Penn State, Miami (Ohio) and Loyola (Md.)
Five teams will advance out of each regional to the NCAA championships at Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Fla., May 29-June 3. The top eight teams after 54 holes of stroke play will advance to match play for the tournament’s final two days. The semifinals will be on Tuesday, June 2 and the finals on Wednesday, June 3.
