Moving On

The University of Colorado-Colorado Springs men came up short in their attempt to win last week’s Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference team championship, but the Mountain Lions have still been designated a top seed for the NCAA Division II Regionals.

The men’s regional field was announced on Friday, and UCCS is seeded No. 1 in the South Central Region, which will join with the West Region for a super-regional tournament that will be played May 7-9 in Amarillo, Texas. In all, there are four DII super-regionals on tap.

Other Colorado-based teams that earned spots in the 20-team field in Amarillo are RMAC tournament champion Colorado School of Mines (seeded sixth in the South Central Region), Colorado Christian (seventh) and Colorado State-Pueblo (eighth).

In addition, landing spots as individuals in Amarillo are former 5A state high school champion Grant Olinger of Colorado Mesa and Nicholas Tenuta of Regis.

In all, nationwide, 80 teams and 32 individuals will compete in four DII super-regionals.

At least three teams and the top two players not on those teams from each super-regional will advance to the NCAA DII Finals, set for May 21-25 in Muscle Shoals, Ala.  An additional eight team berths will also be at stake nationwide.

Women’s Division II Super Regionals: Meanwhile, on Monday the NCAA also announced the Women’s NCAA DII super-regional fields, with one of the four tournaments being conducted in Colorado.

Hillcrest Golf Club in Durango and Fort Lewis College will host the West Regional May 7-9. Dallas Baptist University will be the top seed there, with RMAC champion Colorado-Colorado Springs being the only Colorado team in the 12-school field, seeded No. 12 and making its first NCAA super-regional appearance. Courtney Ewing of Colorado State-Pueblo will compete as an individual at the site.

Meanwhile, Colorado resident Alex Trask of William Jewell will play as an individual at the East Regional in Grand Rapids, Mich., also May 7-9.

The top three teams and the top three individuals not on one of those teams from each super regional will advance to the NCAA Division II Finals, set for May 16-19 in Houston.