LAWRENCE, Kan. (KUAthletics.com) – The Kansas men’s golf team was selected to its eighth-straight NCAA Regional appearance on Wednesday. Head Coach Jamie Bermel and the Jayhawks will head to California for the Rancho Santa Fe Regional as the No. 11 seed, beginning May 13 and going through May 15.
The selection marks the eighth-straight regional appearance for the Jayhawks, which is tied for the longest streak of consecutive regional appearances in program history. Kansas has done this on two other occasions from 1989-96 and 1998-2005. This is the longest streak of the 12-year Bermel era.
The other teams in the regional include, (in seeded order): Arizona State, Washington, Oklahoma, California, Oklahoma State, North Florida, Chattanooga, South Florida, San Diego (host), West Virginia, Kansas, Wright State, Seton Hall and Winthrop.
The top five teams in the regional will advance to the NCAA Championship at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa Championship Course in Carlsbad, California, which begins May 24.
“We were outside of the number going into conference, and even going into the last round. We were the last regional (revealed) and one of the last two teams picked, but all you have to do is get in. The guys were fired up when our name was announced and now it’s time to get to work. It is the expectation at KU that we play golf in May. Hats off to the guys, we had a pretty good year, but the best is yet to come.”
COACH BERMEL
Last season, Kansas finished ninth in the Norman Regional with a score of 858 (-6). Then-freshman Will King won an eight-hole playoff against Hugo Townsend of Ole Miss and finished fourth (-9) to advance to the NCAA Championship at Grayhawk. King became the first Jayhawk since 2001 (Andy Stewart) to compete at Nationals as an individual.
The Jayhawks were led this season by King and senior Cecil Belisle who both carry a sub-72.00 scoring average with King leading the team with a 71.88 average and Belisle following closely at 71.94. King and Belisle combined for three individual titles this season with Belisle winning two (Folds of Honor Collegiate and The Prestige), while King claimed medalist honors at the Gopher Invitational. The three titles are tied for the most in a season under the guidance of Bermel, tying the 2021-22 season.
As a team, Kansas posted 10 finishes inside the Top 10, with three of those being inside the Top 5. Kansas’ best finish of the regular season came at The Prestige, February 19-21, where the team finished second amongst a 24-team field. The Jayhawks shot a 21-under 831 and were led by Belisle’s medalist honors.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Kansas will have a practice round on May 12, before tournament play begins on May 13. Live scoring for the event will be available through Golfstat. Fans can also keep up with live updates throughout all three rounds from the official Kansas Men’s Golf Twitter (X) account.
SEED LIST WITH CLIPPD (5/1) RANKING
(1) No. 3 Arizona State (Pac-12 Conference)
(2) No. 10 Washington
(3) No. 16 Oklahoma
(4) No. 22 California
(5) No. 26 Oklahoma State
(6) No. 34 North Florida
(7) No. 38 Chattanooga
(8) No. 46 South Florida (American Athletic Conference)
(9) No. 50 San Diego (Host; West Coast Conference)
(10) No. 58 West Virginia
(11) No. 67 KANSAS
(12) No. 124 Wright State (Horizon League)
(13) No. 166 Seton Hall (Big East Conference)
(14) No. 192 Winthrop (Big South Conference)
INDIVIDUALS
1. Mahanth Chirravuri – Pepperdine
2. Tegan Andrews – Cal State Fullerton
3. William Walsh – Pepperdine
4. Brady Siravo – Pepperdine
5. Kevin Li – Seattle University