The Lewis-Clark State College men’s golf team wound up just outside of the final NAIA Men’s Golf Coaches’ Top 25 poll when the Warriors were ranked No. 26 on Thursday.
The NAIA announced its final poll, along with the qualifiers for the NAIA national tournament, which will be held at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill., on May 24-27. The Warriors, by virtue of winning the Frontier Conference Tournament title, earned an automatic berth to nationals.
LCSC received 88 points in the final poll, just three behind No. 25 Viterbo University of Wisconsin. Oklahoma City claimed 16 of the 17 first-place votes, held down the top spot while Oklahoma Christian is at No. 2.
A total of 20 teams earned automatic berths to nationals while eight more received at-large invitations based on the final NAIA poll. Also, St. Ambrose of Iowa receives a berth as a host team. Along with the 29 teams, 11 individual players qualified for nationals to make it a 156-player field.
At nationals, each team is allowed five golfers and the top four scores from each round are used to determine the team score. The tournament field is cut after 54 holes to the top 17 teams and 40 individuals (including ties).
This is the third straight year the Warrior men have qualified for nationals.
LCSC’s lineup for nationals is expected to be senior Connor McCracken of Eagle, Idaho; juniors Kyler Gable and Tyler Johnson, both of Hayden Idaho, junior Jason Molner of Longview, Wash.,, and freshman Drew Reinland of College Place, Wash.
|
RANK
|
LAST POLL
|
SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES)
|
TOTAL POINTS
|
|
1
|
2
|
Oklahoma City University (16)
|
467
|
|
2
|
1
|
Oklahoma Christian University
|
452
|
|
3
|
3
|
University of South Carolina - Beaufort (1)
|
437
|
|
4
|
4
|
University of the Cumberlands (Ky.)
|
421
|
|
5
|
5
|
Grand View University (Iowa)
|
400
|
|
6
|
6
|
Malone University (Ohio)
|
394
|
|
7
|
8
|
Southern Nazarene University (Okla.)
|
362
|
|
8
|
7
|
University of British Columbia
|
360
|
|
9
|
11
|
Texas Wesleyan University
|
347
|
|
10
|
14
|
Saint Thomas University (Fla.)
|
325
|
|
11
|
9
|
Shorter University (Ga.)
|
302
|
|
12
|
12
|
Johnson & Wales University (Fla.)
|
301
|
|
13
|
10
|
Our Lady of the Lake University (Texas)
|
278
|
|
14
|
15
|
Lee University (Tenn.)
|
275
|
|
15
|
16
|
The Master's College (Calif.)
|
272
|
|
16
|
13
|
Holy Names University (Calif.)
|
241
|
|
17
|
17
|
Wayland Baptist University (Texas)
|
218
|
|
18
|
20
|
Webber International University (Fla.)
|
200
|
|
19
|
19
|
Point Loma Nazarene University (Calif.)
|
195
|
|
20
|
18
|
California State University-San Marcos
|
184
|
|
21
|
24
|
SCAD Savannah (Ga.)
|
148
|
|
22
|
23
|
Lindenwood University (Mo.)
|
140
|
|
23
|
22
|
Saint Ambrose University (Iowa)
|
130
|
|
24
|
21
|
University of Victoria (B.C.)
|
113
|
|
25
|
25
|
Viterbo University (Wis.)
|
91
|
Others receiving votes: Lewis-Clark State College (Idaho) 88; Lubbock Christian University (Texas) 55; Huntington University (Ind.) 50; William Carey University (Miss.) 47; Reinhardt University (Ga.) 44; Union University (Tenn.) 28; Marian University (Ind.) 18; University of St. Francis (Ill.) 12; California Baptist University 10; Lindsey Wilson College (Ky.) 6; William Woods University (Mo.) 5; Tennessee Wesleyan College 5; Concordia University (Ore.) 3; Cornerstone University (Mich.) 3; Cumberland University (Tenn.) 1; Simpson University (Calif.) 1; Trevecca Nazarene University (Tenn.) 1; Holy Cross College (Ind.) 1; Carroll College (Mont.) 1.
