INFO | NCAA Super Regional championships home page
RESULTS | NCAA Super Regional championships Golfstat page
 
Gainesville, Ga.----Little did Wingate University head men's golf coach JD Lamm know that the 150-minute wait to find out his team's next postseason stop would be "the most nerve-wracking 2.5 hours of my life." The wait was well worth it, as Lamm's Bulldogs finished fifth in the South/Southeast Super Regional tourney and earned the program's first-ever trip to the NCAA Division II national championship site in the process.
 
No. 27 Wingate and No. 10 Lee shot even-par 288s Saturday, giving the Bulldogs and the LU Flames the second-best round of the day. No. 11 Lander had a two-under-par 286 to take Saturday low-round honours. The 'Dogs finished 54 holes at 874, one stroke better than No. 12 Nova Southeastern and No. 14 Florida Southern.
 
The No. 1 North Georgia Nighthawks took full advantage of their chance to host at the Chattahoochee Golf Club, shooting a nine-under-par 855 to take home the team hardware. Wingate's South Atlantic Conference neighbours from Coker took second place with a one-over-par 865, while Lee and West Florida tied for third place at 873, only one stroke lower than the still-on-cloud 99 WU Bulldogs.
 
What They Are Saying
Wingate men's golf head coach JD Lamm
 
"We got off to a slow start on the front nine. We started playing better on the middle holes of the back nine. Our team played the last three holes at five-under-par. This is very impressive, as anyone who knows about the Chattahoochee Golf Club…knows that the back nine is significantly more difficult than the front nine."
 
"Bottom line, we played the hard holes well…and this got us in the national championship finals. Watching the other teams fall back was hard, because time seemed to stand still. Our team never wavered…today, our good was good enough. We look forward to going to Florida and showing the world our best stuff. Obviously, our goal is to advance to match play…and to have the chance to do something pretty awesome."
 
Wingate director of athletics Joe Reich
 
"We are extremely excited for Coach Lamm and the men's golf team as they qualify for the national championships in Winter Garden, Florida May 21-25. Coach Lamm is a great coach and an even better person. His student-athletes came through in the clutch today."
 
Wingate junior student-athlete Colin Dutton
 
"I am beyond proud of this team and the way we fought today and all season long. We worked our tails off leading up to this and it paid off. We were meant for this because the script was already written."
 
"This team is not finished…and we will put ourselves on the map at the national championships. My teammates and I want to thank all of our donors and supporters back home. This wouldn't have been possible without them. Go Bulldogs!"
 
Saturday's lucky numbers: 71, 72, 72, 73
 
Wingate junior Jake Smith led the 'Dogs Saturday, shooting a one-under-par 71. Classmate Dutton and graduate student Jordan Hyland posted even-par 72s, while sophomore Lewis Beeden rounded out the Bulldogs' counting scores with a 73. Beeden opened his inaugural NCAA postseason with a first-round 68 Friday, the 'Dogs best round of the tourney.
 
Beeden completed 54 holes at even-par 216, tying for 11th place. Smith was one shot back, tying for 13th position at 217. Dutton and Hyland shot identical three-round scores of six-over-par 222 to tie for 40th place. Hyland's fellow graduate student and Wingate MBA classmate Sean Addie was three shots back at 225. Addie had an even-par 72 in Friday's second stanza, meaning three different Bulldogs claimed low round honours this week.
 
What's next
 
The top five teams and the top two student-athletes not with a team from the South/Southeast Super Regional advance to the finals May 21-25 at the Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge in Winter Garden, Florida. The finals will be hosted by Rollins College and the Greater Orlando Sports Commission as part of the NCAA Division II's acclaimed Spring Sports Festival.

North Georgia, Coker, Lee, West Florida and Wingate snag the team berths, while Nova Southeastern senior Joseba Torres and Florida Southern redshirt sophomore Tyler Mistretta receive the individual bids. Torres and Mistretta finished second (209) and third (210), respectively. UNG graduate student Jack Vajda gave the host Nighthawks a trophy sweep, claiming medalist honours with an eight-under-par 208.
 
Wingate men's golf in the NCAA postseason

Wingate's 2024 NCAA postseason bid was only the third in program history. Bulldog fans will remember this season, as the Navy Blue and Vegas Gold-clad linksters advance to the NCAA national championship site for first time as a unit.
 
In addition to its three NCAA team bids, Wingate men's golf has had five individuals qualify for the NCAA regionals. Benedict Gebhardt was the most recent individual qualifier in 2014. In addition, Brian Denton (2013), Lorcan Morris (2005), James Ambrose (2002) and Fernando Mechereffe (2001) made the NCAAs as individuals. Mechereffe won the 2001 NCAA Division II South Regional in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
 
Mechereffe was the first Bulldog individual to advance to the NCAA Division II championship finals and the third men's golfer in Wingate's senior college history to advance to a national tournament finals site. John Ellis and Phil Nickell advanced to the NAIA national tournament in 1982 and 1985, respectively. Ellis and Nickell won their trips to the nationals by winning medalist honours at the NAIA District 26 men's golf tournament.

Wingate University men's golf line-up
'24 NCAA Division II South/Southeast Super Regional
 
5-Wingate 292-294-288=874
T11-Lewis Beeden, 68-75-73=216
T13-Jake Smith, 73-73-71=217
T40-Colin Dutton, 76-74-72=222
T40-Jordan Hyland, 75-75-72=222
T63-Sean Addie, 76-72-77=225
 
Tournament Information
 
NCAA Division II South/Southeast Super Regional men's golf championships (36/18)
Chattahoochee Golf Club (par 72, 7166 yards)
Gainesville, Ga. (hosted by the University of North Georgia)

Wingate University
 
Wingate University is a lab of difference-making that serves more than 3,400 students in North Carolina and offers 60 degree pathways, including 37 undergraduate majors, 10 pre-professional tracks and five dual-degree programs. Graduate students choose from seven master's and five doctoral programs. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences, the Levine College of Health Sciences, the Byrum School of Business, the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences.
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a leader in healthcare education where nearly one in five undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Student-athletes on Wingate's 26 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award the past 15 times it has been awarded. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.
 
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