Now we get down to the nitty-gritty.
The regular season for Colorado-based college golf teams is over, with the postseason cranking up over the next two-plus weeks as conference championships are held.
Then for the better programs and/or players, there will be NCAA regional berths and, ideally, spots in the national finals.
While no Colorado teams made it to the NCAA Finals last year, Jennifer Kupcho (Wake Forest) finished runner-up individually in the Women’s NCAA Championship, while fellow Coloradan Wyndham Clark was part of the second-place team (Oregon) in the men’s NCAA Finals after placing 51st individually.
In NCAA Division II, Coloradan Alex Trask of William Jewell ended up 17th in the women’s finals, while Mary Weinstein of Regis (who has since transferred to the University of Denver) was 22nd.
In Division III, Colorado resident Mackenzie Cohen helped Rhodes College claim the NCAA D-III national title while she finished 25th individually. Fellow Coloradan Madison McCambridge (Wisconsin-Stouth) was 58th.
Last year, this time of the college season gained considerable local attention with Boulder Country Club and the University of Colorado hosting the men’s Pac-12 Conference Championship.
Meanwhile, the University of Denver women extended their impressive streak of consecutive conference titles to 14 — with the NCAA regional berths that go with them — by claiming victory in the Summit League. The Pioneers have captured four Summit League championships, plus nine in the Sun Belt Conference and one in the WAC.
Let’s take a brief look at what awaits for the 2018 conference championships that include Colorado-based teams. (The tournaments are listed by date):
Mountain West Women, April 16-18 in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Last Year’s Conference Finish by Colorado State: Eighth out of nine teams, with Katrina Prendergast placing 15th individually to lead the Rams.
CSU in the National Team Rankings: 84th Golfstat, 86th Golfweek.
Top Ram in National Individual Rankings: Katrina Prendergast 235th Golfweek.
Top CSU Team Finishes This Season: Three thirds, fifth.
Top-5 CSU Individual Finishes in Division I Tournaments This Season: Katrina Prendergast win, second; Ellen Secor second, fifth.
Best Season Stroke Average for CSU: Katrina Prendergast 73.77.
Mountain West Men, April 20-22 in Bremerton, Wash.
Last Year’s Conference Finishes by Colorado State/Air Force: CSU second out of 11 teams, with Colton Yates and Blake Canyon tying for eighth place individually; Air Force Academy seventh out of 11 teams, with Sunwoo Choi placing sixth individually.
CSU/Air Force in the National Team Rankings: CSU 41st Golfweek, 44th Golfstat; Air Force 190th Golfweek, 197th Golftat.
Top Ram/Falcon in National Individual Rankings: CSU’s AJ Ott 178th Golfstat, 182nd Golfweek; AFA’s Tate Tatom 668th Golfweek.
Top CSU/Air Force Team Finishes This Season: CSU win, second, third, fifth; AFA sixth.
Top-5 CSU/Air Force Individual Finishes in Division I Tournaments This Season: CSU’s Max Oelfke second; CSU’s AJ Ott fourth; CSU’s Jake Staiano fifth; AFA’s Bryant Falconello fourth, AFA’s Joseph Crisostomo fifth.
Best Season Stroke Average for CSU/Air Force: CSU’s AJ Ott 71.63; AFA’s Tate Tatom 73.27.
Big Sky Women, April 20-22 in Boulder City, Nev.
Last Year’s Conference Finish by the Northern Colorado: Fifth out of 12 teams. Baile Winslow placed 11th to lead UNC.
UNC in the National Team Rankings: 137th Golfstat, 146th Golfweek.
Top Bear in National Individual Rankings: Morgan Sahm 603rd Golfweek.
Top UNC Team Finishes This Season: Two thirds, fourth, fifth.
Top-5 UNC Individual Finishes in Division I Tournaments This Season: none.
Pac-12 Women, April 22-24 in Seattle
Last Year’s Conference Finish by the University of Colorado: Second out of 11 teams. Kirsty Hodgkins led the way individually for CU, finishing fourth.
CU in the National Team Rankings: 20th Golfweek, 25th Golfstat.
Top Buff in National Individual Rankings: Robyn Choi (34th Golfweek, 38th Golfstat).
Top CU Team Finishes This Season: One win, one second, one third, two fourths, one fifth.
Top-5 CU Individual Finishes in Division I Tournaments This Season: Kirsty Hodgkins win, second; Brittany Fan win; Robyn Choi second, three thirds, fifth.
Best Season Stroke Average for CU: Robyn Choi 72.79.
Summit League Women, April 22-24 in Nebraska City
Last Year’s Conference Finish by the University of Denver: Victory out of nine teams. Jessica Carty led the way for DU by placing second individually.
DU in the National Team Rankings: 45th Golfweek, 49th Golfstat.
Top Pioneers in National Individual Rankings: Lauren Whyte 126th Golfweek, 175th Golfstat; Mary Weinstein 129th Golfweek, 153rd Golfstat.
Top DU Team Finishes This Season: Two wins, fourth.
Top-5 DU Individual Finishes in major Division I Tournaments This Season: Sophie Newlove fourth.
Best Season Stroke Average for DU: Mary Weinstein 73.84.
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Men, April 22-24 in Chandler, Ariz.
Last Year’s Conference Winner: Colorado-Colorado Springs, out of eight teams. Colin Prater of UCCS was the individual champion.
Colorado-Based Teams Ranked in Top 25 Nationally: Colorado-Colorado Springs 12th Golfstat.
Top Colorado-based RMAC Players in National Individual Rankings: Colin Prater, UCCS, 26th Golfstat; Chase Carlson, Colorado Christian 35th Golfstat; Jack Duguid, UCCS 86th Golfstat.
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Women, April 22-24 in Chandler, Ariz.
Last Year’s Conference Winner: Regis, out of 12 teams. Jacquelyn Porman of CSU-Pueblo captured the individual title.
Colorado-Based Teams Ranked in Top 25 Nationally: none. Colorado-Colorado Springs is 42nd.
Top Colorado-based RMAC Players in National Individual Rankings: Courtney Ewing, CSU-Pueblo 57th Golfstat; Alex Baldwin, UCCS 70th Golfstat.
Pac-12 Men, April 23-25 in Rolling Hills Estates, Calif.
Last Year’s Conference Finish by the University of Colorado: Seventh out of 12 teams. Spencer Painton and Ethan Freeman tied for 20th individually to lead CU.
CU in the National Team Rankings: 43rd Golfweek, 43rd Golfstat.
Top Buff in National Individual Rankings: Yannik Paul (101st Golfstat, 106th Golfweek).
Top CU Team Finishes This Season: T1 (lost in playoff), three thirds.
Top-5 CU Individual Finishes in Division I Tournaments This Season: Yannik Paul win, third and fifth; Spencer Painton second; Daniel O’Loughlin second and fifth.
Best Season Stroke Average for CU: Yannik Paul 70.52.
Big Sky Men, April 27-29 in Boulder City, Nev.
Last Year’s Conference Finish by the Northern Colorado: Second out of eight teams. Coby Welch led the way individually for UNC, placing second.
UNC in the National Team Rankings: 152nd Golfstat, 158th Golfweek.
Top Bear in National Individual Rankings: Joshua Matz 351st Golfweek.
Top UNC Team Finish This Season: Fourth.
Top-5 UNC Individual Finishes in Division I Tournaments This Season: Coby Welch fourth; Joshua Matz fifth.
Summit League Men, April 29-May 1 in Newton, Kan.
Last Year’s Conference Finish by the University of Denver: Sixth out of nine teams. Petter Mikalsen finished ninth individually to pace DU.
DU in the National Team Rankings: 119th Golfstat, 126th Golfweek.
Top Pioneer in National Individual Rankings: Chris Korte 183rd Golfweek, 186th Golfstat.
Top DU Team Finish This Season: Sixth.
Top-5 DU Individual Finishes in Division I Tournaments This Season: Chris Korte fifth.
Best Season Stroke Average for DU: Chris Korte 72.57.
