BUCKEYE, Ariz. - The Concordia University men's golf team knew it had a tough road ahead this spring as they still had their sights set on a team regional bid. With the top-10 teams receiving invitations to the NCAA Central Regional in Lincoln, Neb., the fact that the team is still on the outside looking in isn't as dire as onlookers may believe. This weekend, the team travels to the RMAC Championships where 15 teams will be competing, but most notably, the field includes nine of the teams ranked in the region's most recent top-10 rankings. The team leaves Sunday and will compete in 36 holes on Monday with 18 more on Tuesday to close out the 54 hole event. LIVE STATS - RMAC CHAMPIONSHIPS WEBSITE
It is even more important for Concordia since they have already split with two RMAC teams who round out the top-10. CU is 1-1 against Regis University and Colorado School of Mines while also splitting with Colorado Christian, a team that is not regionally-ranked, but is in the same boat as CU fighting for an at large playoff spot.
The Golden Bears are potentially one of the more dangerous teams in the field, having won the NSIC Warm-Up, an 18 hole event preceding the NSIC Championships Third Round in Lake City, Minn. last week. In that event, Concordia shot a team record 288, five strokes lower than their previous season best 293 which they fired the next day in the NSIC Championships. So far this spring, Concordia has finished fourth, sixth, first and second in that order and have finished ahead of solid competition.
Head coach Matt Higgins, who has the women's team ranked second in the NCAA Central Region rankings and as the top team receiving votes just outside the NGCA Division II Top 25 (as of March 4), is looking to bring both teams to the NCAA Regionals.
A full team, men or women, has never made regional play at Concordia in the history of the golf program. The women have had three individual qualifiers while the men have had one.
The men are led by three sophomores, making them even more threatening to opponents. The young trio has continued to improve throughout the spring and the lineup is rounded out by experienced and consistent seniors.
