Golf Earns Bid to NCAA Central Regional
5/6/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
May 6, 2002
HOUSTON, Texas - After competing in a grueling schedule against some of the nation's best teams, the University of Houston golf team earned a place in the NCAA Central Regional on Monday.
For the sixth straight season, the Cougars advanced to the NCAA Central Regional as a team and will be one of 27 teams competing at Pleasant Valley Golf Course in Little Rock, Ark on May 16-18. The golf squad, which received a No. 16 seed in the Regional, also becomes the first UH team to advance to the NCAA postseason this year.
In addition to the Cougars, the NCAA Central Regional also features TCU, North Carolina State, Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma, Toledo, Purdue, Lamar, Baylor, Alabama, LSU, Tulsa, Kansas, SMU, Illinois, Missouri, Colorado, Texas-Arlington, Northwestern, Arkansas State, Maryland, St. John's, Austin Peay, Princeton, Army and Jackson State.
Gibby Martins (Texas-San Antonio), John Holmes (Kentucky), Eric Herbert (Ohio), David Jenkins (Southwest Missouri State), Adrian Mork (McNeese State) and Aaron Watkins (Kansas State) were invited to the NCAA Regional as individuals.
The top 10 teams from each of the three NCAA Regionals as well as the top two individuals not competing on those teams move on to the NCAA Championships on May 29-June 1 at the Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio.
The Cougars posted six top-10 team finishes this season in 10 tournaments during the fall and spring campaigns. Although the team saw its five-year reign as Conference USA champion come to an end this season, the squad earned its highest team finish of the year with a second-place showing at the league's annual postseason event.
Junior Simon Robinson, who earned both All-C-USA and All-C-USA Tournament honors this season, leads the Cougars with a 73.1 scoring average, nearly a full stroke better than Brad McIntosh, who has posted a 74.0 average.
A year ago, the Cougars placed ninth at the NCAA Central Regional before advancing to the NCAA Championships, where they tied for 20th.
Before competing in the NCAA postseason, the Cougars compete in another prestigious tournament when they participate at The Maxwell in Ardmore, Okla., on May 11-12.