The University of Florida men’s golf team earned a No. 1 seed at the NCAA East Regional in Ocala, Fla., as announced by the NCAA on Monday. The Gators will compete against 13 other teams and five individuals at the Golden Ocala Golf Club May 19-21.
Florida will be joined by four other teams in the top 25 (according to the Golf World/Nike Golf Coaches’ Poll), including defending national champion Augusta State as the No. 2 seed, SEC foe Arkansas as the No. 3 seed and Oregon and North Carolina State at the No. 4 and 5 spots, respectively.
Of the 13 opponents, the Gators have seen eight in the 2010-11 season, including Augusta State (Olympia Fields, Hootie @ Bulls Bay), Arkansas (John Hayt, SEC), Oregon (Bandon Dunes), N.C. State (Schenkel, Hootie @ Bulls Bay), UCF (Isleworth, Gator, John Hayt), Notre Dame (Schenkel), Jacksonville State (JU Invitational) and Georgia Southern (Gator, John Hayt, Schenkel).
In six sites, five other No. 1 seeds were named, including Georgia Tech (Virginia Tech Regional in Radford, Va.), Alabama (Indiana Regional in Zionsville, Ind.), Oklahoma State (Colorado Regional in Erie, Colo.), Texas A&M (Arizona Regional in Tucson, Ariz.) and UCLA (San Diego Regional in San Diego, Calif.). The top five teams from each regional advance to the NCAA Championships in Stillwater, Okla. May 31-June 5.
UF has won an NCAA Regional four times, the most recent in victory coming in 2009. In the four years that Florida won the National Title, it never won the NCAA Regional.
FLORIDA REGION: Golden Ocala Golf Club; Ocala, Fla; Hosted by Florida
1. FLORIDA (Southeastern Conference Champion)
2. Augusta State
3. Arkansas
4. Oregon
5. N.C. State
6. UCF (Conference USA Champion)
7. Baylor
8. Kennesaw State (Atlantic Sun Conference Champion)
9. Notre Dame (Big East Conference Champion)
10. Missouri
11. Southeastern Louisiana
12. Jacksonville State (Ohio Valley Conference Champion)
13. Georgia Southern (Southern Conference Champion)
14. Jackson State (Southwestern Athletic Conference Champion)
Individuals
1. Philipp Fendt, Louisiana-Lafayette
2. Jack Hiluta, South Alabama
3. Jacobo Pastor, Charleston Southern
4. Andrew Noto, Lousiana-Lafayette
5. Bradley Story, Alabama A&M
