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May 12, 2009

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Western Washington University will host the school's first national tournament next week when the 47th annual NCAA Division II National Men's Golf Tournament takes place on May 19-22 at the Loomis Trail Golf Club in Blaine.

Twenty teams and eight individuals from non-qualifying teams will take part in the four-day, 72-hole event. Admission is free.

Representing the East and Atlantic regions are super regional titlist Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), Fayetteville State, Concord, Fairmont State and St. Thomas Aquinas.

From the Midwest and South Central regions are super regional champion Wayne State, Northeastern State, Central Missouri, Ferris State and Indianapolis.

Qualifying from the South and Southeast regions are super regional winner North Alabama, Lynn, Barry, Columbus State and Georgia College (GCSU).

Representing the Central and West regions are super regional champion Colorado-Colorado Springs, Cal State Stanislaus, Sonoma State, Cal State San Bernardino and Grand Canyon.

Last year, West Florida won the title in a three-way playoff, the first in the history of the event, after tying with North Alabama and St. Edwards at the end of regulation play. None of those teams are back, but 2007 champion Barry returns.

The top individual back is Sonoma State's Jarin Todd (Sr., Redmond/Woodinville), the NCAA II Player of the Year in 2007 and 2008. Todd tied for third at nationals last spring and placed 20th in 2007.

Colorado-Colorado Springs' Tyler Bishop took medalist honors at the NCAA II National Preview Tournament on Sept. 29-30 at Loomis Trail, shooting a 54-hole total of 5-under 208. Washburn's Matt Ewald was second at 3-under 210.

Ewald is one of the eight individuals from non-qualifying schools in the field. The others are Brant Kummerfeld from Adelphi, Jared Schmader from Clarion, Brooks Herrick from Bellarmine, Jonathan Burke from Barton, Brian Richey from Florida Southern, Brandon Harkins from Chico State and Jake Koppenberg from host Western.

In the West/Central Super Regional, Koppenberg had a birdie on the first extra hole of a five-person playoff to earn the second and final berth granted to players not on a qualifying team.

Koppenberg, who ranks seventh nationally in NCAA II, has a 71.1 scoring average that is on pace to break his school record set last year. He shot a 2-under par 69 in the final round at regionals to move from 19th place to ninth to earn a spot in the playoff with a 54-hole total of 4-over 217.

Koppenberg, who tied for 28th at nationals last year, was Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year for the second straight time.

There will be a special award presentation at the tourney banquet on Monday, May 18, at the Semiahmoo Resort.

Former Western golfer Bill Wright, one of the first seven inductees into the WWU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1968, will receive a scroll from Jim Vernon, President of the United States Golf Association. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Wright winning the 1959 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, becoming the first African American to capture a USGA-sponsored national title.