• Balicki: Who’s going to join me at NCAAs?• Central Regional preview.
• West Regional preview.
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When: Thursday-Saturday
Where: Council Fire Golf Club, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Who: Two of the top 10 teams in the
Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings – Georgia (2) and Charlotte (9) – and seven of the top 20.
Scoop: Georgia and Adam Mitchell (pictured) will be the team to beat, but most eyes around Council Fire will be watching host Chattanooga. The Mocs, No. 13 in the
Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings and winners of the Southern Conference Championship, are having their best season ever. They’ve won their past three tournaments – and five this season – and seem primed to land their first appearance at the NCAA Finals.
Short shots: It’s been like a ride through the Tennessee mountains for East Tennessee State this season, with plenty of ups, downs and sharp curves. The No. 21 Bucs have finished 10th or worse four times, but they’ve also had some solid showings with fifths at Ping/Arizona and Puerto Rico, a third at Administaff and a runner-up finish at the Atlantic Sun Conference. The question now is, which ETSU team will show up in Chattanooga?
Who can crack the top 10?: Watch out for 10th-seeded UAB (No. 28 in
Golfweek’s rankings), the Conference USA champ. Oftentimes overshadowed by in-state powers Alabama and Auburn, the Blazers have had an outstanding season, finishing outside the top 10 only once in 11 starts. Also keep an eye on 12th-seeded North Carolina State and 14th-seeded Georgia State. Neither had an overly impressive regular season, but each went up against some of the best competition in the country.
Fun fact: Four teams won’t be traveling out of state. In addition to Chattanooga and East Tennessee State, the field includes Memphis and Middle Tennessee State, which has won five times this season and is making its first NCAA postseason start since 2000.
Sweet Swede: Georgia State senior Joel Sjoholm of Sweden is winding down his impressive college career, and he will carry the weight on his shoulders in hopes of extending the Panthers’ season.
Sjoholm, who plans to turn pro once his final putt in college falls, leads the individual field at Council Fire with his No. 5
Golfweek/Sagarin ranking. Look for him to be challenged by Georgia Tech’s Chesson Hadley (No. 9), Mitchell (10) and teammate Russell Henley (16), ETSU’s Gareth Shaw (11) and Charlotte’s Jonas Enander-Hedin (18).
Also keep an eye on UAB’s Zack Sucher (20), winner of the Azalea Amateur, and Michigan State’s Ryan Brehm (25).
Field:1. Georgia
2. Charlotte (Atlantic 10 champion)
3. South Carolina
4. Duke
5. Chattanooga (Southern Conference champion)
6. Auburn
7. East Tennessee State
8. Michigan State
9. Mississippi
10. UAB (Conference USA champion)
11. Virginia Tech
12. North Carolina State
13. Mississippi State
14. Georgia State (Colonial Athletic Association champion)
15. North Florida (Atlantic Sun champion)
16. UC Irvine (Big West Conference champion)
17. Augusta State
18. SMU
19. Middle Tennessee State
20. Coastal Carolina (Big South Conference champion)
21. Memphis
22. Virginia
23. Western Carolina
24. Colorado State (Mountain West champion)
25. New Mexico State (Western Athletic Conference champion)
26. Western Illinois (Summit League champion)
27. Jackson State (Southwestern Athletic Conference champion)
Individuals:1. Keegan Bradley, St. John’s (N.Y.)
2. Jose Toledo, New Orleans
3. Johnny Caldwell, South Alabama
4. Michael McGrady, Troy
5. Jon Curran, Vanderbilt
6. Grant Leaver, Austin Peay State
– Ron Balicki
Posted: 5/14/2008
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