Texas Tech University Athletics
Men's Golf Earns 10th Consecutive NCAA Bid
May 09, 2011 | Men's Golf
May 9, 2011
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech Men's Golf team is headed to the NCAA Regionals for the 10th consecutive season as the 15th-ranked Red Raiders were awarded the No. 3 seed at the Tucson Regional on Monday afternoon by the NCAA Men's Golf Selection Committee.
The regional is being hosted by The University of Arizona, May 19-21, at the Omni Tucson National Golf Course. Of the six NCAA Regionals, fives teams from each site will advance to the NCAA Championships at Karsten Creek in Stillwater, Okla., May 31-June 5.
"This is what we have been working toward all season long," said Texas Tech head coach Greg Sands. "I am really proud of this team and what they have achieved. This is a group that knows how to win and I believe that our best rounds of golf are ahead of us."
The men's golf team currently holds the second longest postseason streak on campus, following a football program that has earned 11 consecutive bowl invitations. The Red Raiders are also defending NCAA Regional Champions as Texas Tech claimed the College Station Regional in 2010 with a one-stroke victory over tournament host Texas A&M.
"Winning the regional at Texas A&M last year was a big step for our program," remarked Sands. "With the exception of Chris Ward, everyone from that team is back so that should give us the confidence we need heading into the regional."
Texas Tech enters regional play after finishing fourth at the 2011 Big 12 Conference Championships (April 25-27) held at Prairie Dunes Golf and Country Club in Hutchinson, Kan. Coincidentally, the Red Raiders also finished fourth at the Big 12 Championships in 2010 and then went on to win the NCAA Regional and finished tied for fifth at the NCAA Championships in Chattanooga.
The Red Raiders are led by a pair of All-Big 12 honorees in seniors Nils Floren and Matt Smith. Floren, a native of Ljungskile, Sweden, is currently ranked as the No. 27 player in the country in this week's Golfweek rankings. He leads the Red Raiders with a 72.5 stroke average and has posted four top 10 tournament finishes, including the tournament title at the UTSA/Oak Hills Invitational.
Smith, a native of Canberra, Australia, earned his first career All-Big 12 honor from the league following what has been a strong senior season. Smith stands at No. 34 nationally in this week's Golfweek rankings and is second on the team behind Floren with a 72.7 stroke average. He owns four top 10 finishes, including a fourth place finish at the Royal Oaks Intercollegiate.
For more information on the upcoming NCAA regional, log on to arizonawildcats.com.
NCAA REGIONAL APPEARANCES (FINISH)
2010 - *South Central, College Station (1st)
2009 - *Southwest, Austin (2nd)
2008 - West, Bremerton, Wash. (12th)
2007 - *Central, Sugar Grove, Ill. (7th)
2006 - *East, Orlando, Fla. (3rd)
2005 - Central, South Bend, Ind. (21st)
2004 - Central, West Lafayette, Ind. (13th)
2003 - Central, Manhattan, Kan. (12th)
2002 - West, Albuquerque, N.M. (T-10th)
1996 - Central, Ann Arbor, Mich. (T-16th)
1995 - Central, Montgomery (18th)
1992 - Central, McKinney (T-11th)
* = advanced to NCAA Championships
