(Photo by Danny Reise)

For the second time in three years, the University of Missouri–St. Louis men’s golf team has earned a spot in the NCAA Division II Championship.

The UMSL Tritons recorded a third-place finish at the NCAA Midwest/Central Regional, held last week at Strawberry Creek Country Club in Kenosha, Wis., and are one of five teams from the regional advancing to the NCAA Championship May 20-24 at the Hershey (Pa.) Country Club.

It marks the eighth NCAA Championship appearance for the program. UMSL recorded a 15th place finish in 2011, which also came under the direction of fourth-year head coach Troy Halterman.

UMSL finished with a 54-hole score of 866 (283-290-293), seven strokes behind team champion University of Central Missouri (Warrensburg) (287-287-285 – 859). The Mules used a late surge to fend off University of Central Oklahoma (Edmond) (289-294-291 – 864), who placed second.

Fellow Great Lakes Valley Conference member Bellarmine University (Louisville, Ky.) (285-294-295 – 874) and Southwestern Oklahoma State University (Weatherford) (295-287-293 – 875), placed fourth and fifth, respectively, and also advance to the national championship.

Junior Joe Atkisson, who competed in last year’s regional as an individual and placed 95th, took home a third place finish this year, carding a six-under par 210 (68-70-72), bettering his own 54-hole school record of 214, set at the GLVC Championship earlier this season.

Medalist honors went to the University of Central Missouri’s Ryan Hughey, who finished 13 strokes under par with a 203 (65-69-69) to lead the field of 108 competitors. 

Junior Warren Crow (68-74-77) and senior Chase Smith (73-72-74) tied for 18th place, each shooting a 219, while freshmen David Abolt tied for 24th place with a 221 (74-74-73). Freshman Colby Yates rounded out the scoring with a 225 (74-77-74), tying for 53rd place.