ATU Sending Two Teams to NCAA Golf Finals

Arkansas Tech University is one of only two NCAA Division II institutions to advance to the 2017 national team finals in both men’s and women’s golf.

The Golden Suns will compete in the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championships May 17-20 at Findlay Country Club in Findlay, Ohio, while the Wonder Boys will participate in the NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championships May 22-26 at Reunion Resort in Kissimmee, Fla.

The only other NCAA Division II institution to have both of its golf teams advance to the final stage of competition for the 2016-17 season is Barry University (Fla.).

Arkansas Tech is making its third appearance in the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championships. The Golden Suns previously qualified for the national finals in 2014 and 2015.

This year marks the second time in program history that Arkansas Tech has qualified for the NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championships. The Wonder Boys’ only other appearance in the event came in 1998.

Arkansas Tech’s women punched their ticket to Findlay by winning the NCAA Division II Central Super Regional May 8-10 at Minnehaha Golf Club in Sioux Falls, S.D.

The Golden Suns completed the 54-hole event with a team score of 903, 13 strokes in front of their nearest competition.

ATU’s Pia Nunbhakdi won the individual title in Sioux Falls with a three-day total of 221. She returned scores of 75-73-73 for a three-stroke victory among a field of 65 players.

Avery Struck (4th, 75-77-73-225), Anna Frandsen (T-7th, 78-76-75-229), Caroline Fredensborg (T-23rd, 86-73-78-237) and Jessica Sachs (T-32nd, 81-85-74-240) also contributed to the Golden Suns’ first NCAA regional team championship in women’s golf.

Arkansas Tech’s men advanced to the national finals by finishing fourth in the NCAA Division II Central/Midwest Regional May 8-10 at Awarii Dunes Golf Course in Axtell, Neb.

Three Wonder Boys — Putter Srinoon, Jonathan Echberg and Ryan Spurlock — fired rounds in the 60s during the last day of competition to propel Tech to the final NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championships berth from the regional.

Arkansas Tech finished with a 54-hole team total of 840, three strokes in front of Grand Valley State University in the race for the final spot in Kissimmee.

Srinoon (T-11th, 73-67-68-208), Echberg (T-15th, 71-71-67-209), Spurlock (T-37th, 72-74-67-213), Austin Smith (T-56th, 73-70-73-216) and Luke Cornett (T-77th, 78-69-72-219) comprised the five-man team that earned the Wonder Boys’ first NCAA national finals berth in golf in 19 years.

Amy Anderson is head coach for the Arkansas Tech women’s golf team. Luke Calcatera is the Arkansas Tech men’s golf team head coach.