May 8, 2006
INDIANAPOLIS - The NCAA Division I Men's Golf Committee selected the teams and individuals that will participate in the 2006 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships Monday, and the University of Denver accepted a bid to compete in the NCAA West Regional to be held at the Omni Tucson National's Catalina Course May 18-20. It will be DU's fourth consecutive appearance at the NCAA West Regional.
The Pioneers will be one of 27 teams to play in the West Regional, held May 18-20 at the Omni Tucson National's Catalina Course, where the top 10 teams and two individuals not on advancing teams will advance to the NCAA Championships. The NCAA Championships will be held May 31-June 3 at Crosswater Golf Club at Sunriver Resort in Sunriver, Ore.
Head coach Eric Hoos has led DU to one tournament victory in 2005-06, that coming at the Fresno Lexus Golf Classic in Fresno, Calif. on Oct. 15. Three weeks ago, the Pioneers finished seventh at the Sun Belt Conference Championships.
Denver's best finish in an NCAA Regional came in 2003, when the Pioneers finished tied for 15th. Also that season, senior Tony Giarratano became the first Denver golfer to qualify for NCAA Nationals as an individual when he finished tied for eighth place.
DU is led by junior Charlie Soule (Longmont, Colo.), who leads the Pioneers with a 70.65 scoring average in 31 rounds. Soule captured two championships this season, winning the Fresno Lexus Golf Classic by shooting a final-round 5-under 66. He won his won his third career individual title, firing a final-round 3-under par 69 and shooting a 54-hole score of 207 (9-under par), winning the 39th Fossum Invitational by seven strokes held at Forest Akers Golf Course on April 23. Senior James Love (Calgary, Alberta) is second on the Pioneers with a 70.81 scoring average and senior Anthony Gillick (Arlington Heights, Ill.) is third at 74.16.
The NCAA Division I Men's Golf Committee selected the 27 teams and six individuals that make up the 141-man field. The 2006 NCAA West Regional is a 54-hole event, which will be contested at Omni Tucson National's Catalina Course, a par 72, 7,200-yard layout. Eighteen holes will be played each day beginning Thursday, May 18. Action is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. MDT. Tee times are to be announced.
Tournament seeding, according to the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Committee, is as follows (conference champion if listed): 1. Florida, 2. Arizona State, 3. Brigham Young, 4. East Tennessee State, 5. Baylor, 6. Alabama, 7. Arizona, 8. San Diego State, 9. North Carolina State, 10. Washington, 11. New Mexico (Mountain West Conference), 12. Stanford, 13. Houston, 14. Pepperdine, 15. Louisville, 16. Denver, 17. Santa Clara, 18. New Mexico State (Western Athletic Conference), 19. Fresno State, 20. UC-Irvine, 21. Nevada, 22. San Diego, 23. Cal Poly (Big West Conference), 24. Western Kentucky (Sun Belt Conference), 25. Loyola Marymount (West Coast Conference), 26. Jackson State (Southwestern Athletic Conference), and 27. Bucknell (Patriot League).
The following six individuals were also selected to participate: Graham DeLaet, Boise State; Dustin Pimm, Utah; Chadd Coco, Saint Mary's; Ryan Witz, Washington State; Ryan Wood, Long Beach State; and Derrick Whiting, Colorado State.
The West Regional will be played on Tucson National Golf Club and hosted by the University of Arizona.
This is the fourth time that the University of Arizona has hosted the event (1992, 1994, 1999) since the regional format was instituted in 1989, and each time the event has been contested at Tucson National Golf Club. The Catalina Course's par and yardage figures for the regional are listed below:
Hole Yardage Par1 402 42 535 53 375 44 170 35 398 46 425 47 247 38 587 59 436 4OUT 3,575 36
10 511 511 430 412 183 313 404 414 404 415 610 516 428 417 186 318 469 4IN 3,625 36TOTAL 7,200 72
Live tournament scoring will be available at www.golfstat.com. Tournament results can be found at DU's official athletic website, www.denverpioneers.com, Arizona's official athletic website, www.arizonaathletics.com, and at www.ncaasports.com.
2006 NCAA West Regional Tournament Schedule
Wednesday, May 17 - Practice Round, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. MDT
Thursday, May 18 - First Round, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. MDT
Friday, May 19 - Second Round, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. MDT
Saturday, May 20 - Third Round, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. MDT
