Strong Start For Ferris State Men's Golf On Day One At NCAA Super Regional
Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's golf team got off to a strong start on Thursday (May 9) in the opening round of the 2024 NCAA Division II Midwest/Central Super Regional in Edmond, Okla.
The Bulldogs carded a first-round 279 team score at one-under par overall and sit fourth of the 20 competing schools in the super regional event at the Kickingbird Golf Course.
Ferris State's current one-under par effort is only three shots off the lead heading into day two play. Both Missouri S&T and Harding shot four-under 276 scores in opening-day action while Grand Valley State was at three-under in third place. The Bulldogs' one-under total was a shot ahead of ffith-polace Henderson State, which carded an even-par 280 figure on Thursday.
FSU was led by Nathan Kraynyk, who shot a three-under par 67 in round one and is tied for fifth place overall on the individual leaderboard.
The Bulldogs' Caleb Bond also had a strong performance, notching a two-under 68 in the opening round. He is presently tied for 11th place in the field.
Ferris State freshman McCoy Biagioli shot an even-par 70 and is tied for 23rd while Zach Koerner carded a 74 and is tied for 70th. Sam Havey rounded out the FSU lineup with a 77 and is tied for 94th overall.
The par 70 course measured in at 6,944 yards.
The Bulldogs are slated to return to the tee for day two play on Friday (May 10) beginning on the tee at 9:30 a.m. before the final round takes place on Saturday (May 11).
The Midwest/Central Regional is being hosted by Southern Nazarene University and consists of 10 teams from the Midwest Region along with 10 from the Central Region. Four individuals from each region are also competing in the 54-hole tournament.
The top five teams and the top two student-athletes not with a team from each regional will advance to the finals set for May 21-25 at the Orange Country National Golf Center and Lodge in Winter Garden, Fla. The finals will be hosted by Rollins College and the Greater Orlando Sports Commission.
In 2017, the Bulldogs earned runner-up honors in the 2017 NCAA-II Midwest/Central Super Regional in Kearney, Neb., before going on to a national quarterfinal finish. In 2019, the Bulldogs placed tied for third at the super regional and reached the NCAA D2 National Championships, placing 20th overall. FSU also made the field three years ago in 2021, finishing 10th overall in Super Regional play, before earning a berth and placing ninth overall last season in Ferris State's most recent appearance.
This year makes this the 19th time in the past 21 years in which the Bulldogs have had representation in the NCAA Tournament when it has been held. The stretch of NCAA Championship representation in men's golf ranks as one of the best stretches in the country.
Ferris State captured its 22nd all-time GLIAC Championship by beating rival Grand Valley State in the league finale on April 14 in Augusta, Mich.
Live scoring from the Super Regional Tourney can be found throughout the tournament at the link below:
https://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=team&tid=29169