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UMKC OKLAHOMA-BOUND FOR NCAA REGIONAL
Three days after winning its first WAC men's golf championship, Missouri-Kansas City found out where the ‘Roos will be headed to open up NCAA Regional play on May 16. UMKC will head to Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Okla. as the 13th-seed for the regional hosted by Oklahoma State. Joining UMKC at Karsten Creek will be host Oklahoma State as well as Clemson, Oklahoma, Duke, Augusta, Purdue, Michigan State, Tennessee, Northwestern, Louisville, McNeese State, VCU and Alabama State. The top five teams and the low individual not on those teams at each regional site will advance to the NCAA Finals on May 27 to June 1 at Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Ore.
‘ROOS WIN 2016 WAC MEN'S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
The French duo of Antoine Rozner and Francois Lagraulet each shot a 3-under-par 69 in Monday's final round to lead Missouri-Kansas City to its first Western Athletic Conference men's golf title at Loomis Trail Golf Club in Blaine, Wash. Rozner used the sub-par round to finish at 12-under-par 204 to earn medalist honors. It's the lowest individual total at the WAC Championship since NM State's Timothy Madigan shot a 14-under-par 202 to win the 2010 WAC title at Rio Secco Golf Club in Henderson, Nev. Lagraulet took second in his first WAC Championship, carding a 5-under-par 211. As a team, the Roos were 12-under-par with a 54-hole total of 852. Seattle U took second with a 4-over-par 868 behind Jamie Hall and Ross Kukula, who tied for third with Grand Canyon's Jake Byrum at an even-par 216. Utah Valley was third, followed by NM State, CSU Bakersfield, UT Rio Grande Valley and Chicago State.
UMKC SWEEPS POSTSEASON AWARDS
The 2015-16 All-WAC teams have been named following a vote of the WAC's eight head coaches. Missouri-Kansas City swept the major awards as senior Antoine Rozner was named WAC Player of the Year, Francois Lagraulet was named WAC Freshman of the Year and J.W. VanDenBorn was named WAC Coach of the Year.
Rozner and Lagraulet headline the first team All-WAC. Joining the two ‘Roos are Utah Valley's Blair Bursey, NM State's Kenneth Fadke II and Seattle U's Joe Harvie.
The All-WAC second team honorees are Grand Canyon's Alex Kline and Jake Byrum, Missouri-Kansas City's Thibault Vieilledent and Jakob Garstecki and Seattle U's Jamie Hall.
CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE
2016 marks the first time that the WAC conducted a golf championship at Loomis Trail Golf Club but it isn't the first time that the course has crowned a champion. Sonoma State outlasted CCAA rival Cal State San Bernardino on the first playoff hole to win the 2009 NCAA Division II national championship with a 43-over-par 1179 in the 72-hole event. Also participating in that tournament was Grand Canyon, finishing 15th with an 87-over-par 1223.
TEEING OFF
Chicago State became the last WAC school to tee off this spring, traveling to Indiana for the Butler Spring Invitational. The Cougars finished the 36-hole event in sixth place.
WATCH LIST
UMKC senior Antoine Rozner was one of 25 golfers named to the 2016 Ben Hogan Award watch list the Colonial Country Club, the Friends of Golf (FOG) and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) announced on Feb. 10. Last year's Colonial champion, Chris Kirk (Georgia) won the 2007 Ben Hogan Award after finishing as a finalist in 2006.
SOUTH OF THE BORDER
Seattle U headed south to start the month of October, traveling to San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico for the Cabo Del Sol Intercollegiate. The Redhawks finished eighth out of 10 but it is sure to be an experience the golfers won't soon forget.
2016 WAC CHAMPIONSHIP HEADS TO PACIFIC NORTHWEST
The 2016 WAC Men's Golf Championship will take place on April 30 through May 2 at Loomis Trail Golf Club in Blaine, Washington. The course was designed by Graham Cooke and is the only course in Washington state to make the Top 100 Resorts in the World as selected by The Golfer magazine. Constructed with the Northwest in mind, Loomis Trail ranks tops for year-round play. The scenic beauty is unsurpassed. And the consistently smooth, fast and true greens ensure Loomis Trail is regarded among the Northwest's finest courses. An extensive canal and lake system brings water into play on all 18 holes, resulting in Loomis Trail having one of the highest slope ratings in the state.