Monday, May 15
University of Texas Golf Club - Austin, Texas
All Day
College of Charleston
at
NCAA Austin Regional
McEntire Takes His Cougars Home To NCAA Austin Regional
5/14/2017 12:50:00 PM | Men's Golf
Click Here For Live Tournament Scoring
CHARLESTON, S.C. – When the College of Charleston men's golf team learned of its postseason destination on The Golf Channel last week, it couldn't have been a more special place or regional site for Head Coach Mark McEntire, and his assistant coach, Alex Ellis.
The Cougars will be making their fourth-straight postseason appearance at the 2017 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Austin Regional hosted by the University of Texas on May 15-17 at the University of Texas Golf Club in Austin, Texas.
CofC's leader over the last 12 seasons with a program-best nine career victories including four-consecutive Colonial Athletic Association championship titles, McEntire will be taking his team to a place where he honed his golf game as a four-year letterman for the Longhorns and was elected team captain during the 1999-00 season.
"Getting to play is Austin is icing on the cake," said the three-time Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year, who looks to lead his team to nationals for only the second time in program history since 2001. "We have prepared this week as we would for any tournament. Our players are excited to see Austin and play at the UT Club. It is a long course and par will be a great score."
Back in January, McEntire added former all-conference standout Ellis as an assistant coach to the program. Ellis was a member and starter on the team's first CAA Championship team in 2014. As an Austin area native, he, too, knows the UT course well which should give the Cougars a double advantage of reaching their ultimate goal.
CofC will start the same starting five as it used at the Salisbury Country Club to hoist its fourth-straight conference trophy – senior All-American and CAA Player of the Year William Rainey (Charlotte, N.C.), senior and CAA individual champion Parker Derby (Columbus, Ga.), senior and CAA All-Academic Team honoree Philip Oweida (Charlotte, N.C.), freshman and CAA Rookie of the Year Michael Sass (Louisville, Ky.) and freshman Hunter Dunagan (Augusta, Ga.).
Rainey, Derby and Oweida missed College of Charleston Commencement this weekend for the NCAA practice rounds, but all three will have diploma in hand, and hopefully, another chance to make history. Rainey earned his bachelor's degree in sociology, Derby in arts management and Oweida in business administration at The College.
"We're excited to have another shot at nationals this year," Derby said. "We are coming into the regional feeling strong about all of our games. We're going to have a big crowd out there this week and that support will help us to see those familiar faces. Personally, I hope I can play to the ability I know I am capable of and give our team the best chance to win and move on to Sugar Grove (Ill.). You can't have the mindset to play for fifth here just to advance. We all have to strive to win this event as if it were any other event."
The No. 64-ranked Cougars head to Austin for their seventh all-time appearance at NCAA Regionals. Last year, they were two places short of advancing to nationals as a team with a seventh-place finish at the 2016 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Tuscaloosa (Ala.) Regional.
CofC last advanced to nationals with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Central Regional hosted by Oklahoma State in 2001 at the Karsten Creek Golf Course in Stillwater, Okla. In 2001, the Cougars shot rounds of 291-287-307—885 (+21) to punch their ticket to the national championship on the par-72, 7,027-yard course (Oklahoma State).
And, they're hoping to punch the program's second ticket on the home course of another Big 12 Conference school and host (Texas).
Rainey, who is currently ranked No. 66 in the nation, got a taste of nationals last season as the program's first-ever individual qualifier to nationals. Then a junior, he tied for 51st (+11) at the 2016 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship held at the Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Ore.
"In the past, I feel that we have been pleased just to make it to regionals," McEntire said. "This year, we want to make it to the National Championship. Everyday since William and I got back (from Oregon) we have told the team that your college career is not complete until you have played in a NCAA Championship. I believe this is our best shot to date and we feel like we have done everything to get this team ready for the challenge. We are all ready to get back in action."
Top-seeded and No. 3-ranked Oklahoma State headlines the Austin Regional field along with Wake Forest, Big 12 Conference champion and host Texas, Ole Miss, Arizona State, NC State, Kansas, Liberty, Iowa State, Georgia Southern, McNeese State, Wichita State and Saint Peter's.
The Top 5 teams and the low individual not on those teams from each of the six regional sites – College Grove, Tenn. (host Middle Tennessee State), West Lafayette, Ind. (host Purdue), Stanford, Calif. (host Stanford), Austin, Texas (host Texas), Baton Rouge, La. (host LSU) and Sammamish, Wash. (host Washington) – will advance to the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship hosted by Northern Illinois University on May 26-31 at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill.
The Cougars will be paired in tomorrow's opening round with Georgia Southern and McNeese State and start off the No. 10 tee beginning at 9:15 a.m. (CT) / 10:15 a.m. (ET). Live tournament scoring for all three rounds will be available at: www.Golfstat.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. – When the College of Charleston men's golf team learned of its postseason destination on The Golf Channel last week, it couldn't have been a more special place or regional site for Head Coach Mark McEntire, and his assistant coach, Alex Ellis.
The Cougars will be making their fourth-straight postseason appearance at the 2017 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Austin Regional hosted by the University of Texas on May 15-17 at the University of Texas Golf Club in Austin, Texas.
CofC's leader over the last 12 seasons with a program-best nine career victories including four-consecutive Colonial Athletic Association championship titles, McEntire will be taking his team to a place where he honed his golf game as a four-year letterman for the Longhorns and was elected team captain during the 1999-00 season.
"Getting to play is Austin is icing on the cake," said the three-time Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year, who looks to lead his team to nationals for only the second time in program history since 2001. "We have prepared this week as we would for any tournament. Our players are excited to see Austin and play at the UT Club. It is a long course and par will be a great score."
Back in January, McEntire added former all-conference standout Ellis as an assistant coach to the program. Ellis was a member and starter on the team's first CAA Championship team in 2014. As an Austin area native, he, too, knows the UT course well which should give the Cougars a double advantage of reaching their ultimate goal.
CofC will start the same starting five as it used at the Salisbury Country Club to hoist its fourth-straight conference trophy – senior All-American and CAA Player of the Year William Rainey (Charlotte, N.C.), senior and CAA individual champion Parker Derby (Columbus, Ga.), senior and CAA All-Academic Team honoree Philip Oweida (Charlotte, N.C.), freshman and CAA Rookie of the Year Michael Sass (Louisville, Ky.) and freshman Hunter Dunagan (Augusta, Ga.).
Rainey, Derby and Oweida missed College of Charleston Commencement this weekend for the NCAA practice rounds, but all three will have diploma in hand, and hopefully, another chance to make history. Rainey earned his bachelor's degree in sociology, Derby in arts management and Oweida in business administration at The College.
"We're excited to have another shot at nationals this year," Derby said. "We are coming into the regional feeling strong about all of our games. We're going to have a big crowd out there this week and that support will help us to see those familiar faces. Personally, I hope I can play to the ability I know I am capable of and give our team the best chance to win and move on to Sugar Grove (Ill.). You can't have the mindset to play for fifth here just to advance. We all have to strive to win this event as if it were any other event."
The No. 64-ranked Cougars head to Austin for their seventh all-time appearance at NCAA Regionals. Last year, they were two places short of advancing to nationals as a team with a seventh-place finish at the 2016 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Tuscaloosa (Ala.) Regional.
CofC last advanced to nationals with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Central Regional hosted by Oklahoma State in 2001 at the Karsten Creek Golf Course in Stillwater, Okla. In 2001, the Cougars shot rounds of 291-287-307—885 (+21) to punch their ticket to the national championship on the par-72, 7,027-yard course (Oklahoma State).
And, they're hoping to punch the program's second ticket on the home course of another Big 12 Conference school and host (Texas).
Rainey, who is currently ranked No. 66 in the nation, got a taste of nationals last season as the program's first-ever individual qualifier to nationals. Then a junior, he tied for 51st (+11) at the 2016 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship held at the Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Ore.
"In the past, I feel that we have been pleased just to make it to regionals," McEntire said. "This year, we want to make it to the National Championship. Everyday since William and I got back (from Oregon) we have told the team that your college career is not complete until you have played in a NCAA Championship. I believe this is our best shot to date and we feel like we have done everything to get this team ready for the challenge. We are all ready to get back in action."
Top-seeded and No. 3-ranked Oklahoma State headlines the Austin Regional field along with Wake Forest, Big 12 Conference champion and host Texas, Ole Miss, Arizona State, NC State, Kansas, Liberty, Iowa State, Georgia Southern, McNeese State, Wichita State and Saint Peter's.
The Top 5 teams and the low individual not on those teams from each of the six regional sites – College Grove, Tenn. (host Middle Tennessee State), West Lafayette, Ind. (host Purdue), Stanford, Calif. (host Stanford), Austin, Texas (host Texas), Baton Rouge, La. (host LSU) and Sammamish, Wash. (host Washington) – will advance to the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship hosted by Northern Illinois University on May 26-31 at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill.
The Cougars will be paired in tomorrow's opening round with Georgia Southern and McNeese State and start off the No. 10 tee beginning at 9:15 a.m. (CT) / 10:15 a.m. (ET). Live tournament scoring for all three rounds will be available at: www.Golfstat.com
Players Mentioned
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