Spartans No. 2 in Final GCAA Poll
7/27/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
June 25, 2007
Spartanburg, S.C. - The USC Upstate men's golf team entered the 2007 NCAA Division II Atlantic/Southeast Super Regional ranked No. 12 in the nation and moved to No. 10 prior to the start of the NCAA Nationals. After a spectacular second-place showing in the NCAA National Championships, Upstate moved up eight spots to No. 2 in the final Golf World/Nike Top 20 poll released by the Golf Coaches Association of America.
The thrilling second-place finish was enough to catch the attention of CBS Sports. The network, which has exclusive rights to NCAA Championships, will feature Upstate in its hour-long Spring Sports Championships program which airs Sunday, July 1, from 1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. CBS was on-site at the National Championships during the final two rounds to gather footage and interviews as the Spartans made an improbable, yet exciting run at a potential national championship.
Upstate started the 2006-07 season solidly. Baxter Culler (pictured) won the individual championship at the season-opening Kiawah Island Invitational against many of the top competitors in the region and nation. A week later, the Spartans claimed the program's first ever team tournament title by winning the Johnny Palmer Memorial. While the fall season was strong, Upstate turned in a tremendous spring. The Spartans finished no lower than fifth in eight events while claiming four second-place and two third-place finishes. Culler claimed his second individual title of the year in grand fashion, winning the individual championship at the Peach Belt Conference Championships with a 3-over-par 219 total. Culler led the league in stroke average throughout the season, not relinquishing the lead until after the NCAA National Championships.
Upstate earned its second straight NCAA Tournament appearance in just its second year of existence after the program was reestablished following a 14-year hiatus from competition. The Spartans finished fourth in the Southeast Regional and was one of five teams to advance to the NCAA Nationals out of the Atlantic/Southeast Super Regional played at the Savannah Quarters Golf Club. At the NCAA Nationals, Upstate was in third position after each of the first two rounds of the tournament played at The Meadows in Allendale, Mich. The Spartans fell to fourth following the third round. It was the final round, though, that pushed Upstate to the brink of a national championship.
Upstate fired a 5-over-par 289 in the final round and watched as team after team continued to slide behind the Spartans on the leaderboard. Florida Southern, an 11-time NCAA National Champion in men's golf, was tied with Barry atop the leaderboard with two holes to play, but fell behind Upstate for third place. Barry needed a two-putt from 45 feet from its final player on the 18th hole to win the national championship and Hernan Borja came through for the Buccaneers to win the national title by one stroke over the Spartans.
Final Top 20 Poll
1. Barry; 2. USC Upstate; 3. Florida Southern; 4. Columbus State; 5. Washburn; 6. Belmont Abbey, Georgia College & State; 8. Abilene Christian, Cal State-Stanislaus; 10. Grand Canyon; 11. Cal State-San Bernardino; 12. North Alabama; 13. Sonoma State; 14. Lander; 15. Cameron; 16. Florida Gulf Coast; 17. Ferris State; 18. Fairmont State; 19. Western New Mexico; 20. Le Moyne.
