LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Little Rock men's golf is headed back to the NCAA Regionals after one of the most dominant conference championship performances in program history.
The Trojans earned the No. 8 seed in the Bermuda Run Regional and will compete May 11-13 at Bermuda Run Country Club in Bermuda Run, North Carolina. The regional will be hosted by Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
Little Rock will face a loaded field that includes Virginia Cavaliers, Ole Miss Rebels, Pepperdine Waves, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, USC Trojans, Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Mississippi State Bulldogs, NC State Wolfpack, Kentucky Wildcats, Houston Cougars, Richmond Spiders, Navy Midshipmen and Presbyterian Blue Hose.
"Thank everybody for coming out today. We had a pretty up-and-down spring," Little Rock head coach
Austin Eoff said. "There were a lot of weather elements this semester, too. But after Stanford, we had a really good team meeting, and then we kind of turned it around at Indiana and carried that momentum into conference."
The Trojans did far more than just win the Ohio Valley Conference Championship.
Little Rock captured the stroke play title by 45 shots — the largest margin of victory in program history — before adding the match play championship to secure its second straight OVC crown and third title in the last four seasons.
The Trojans also rewrote the conference record book, posting a 54-hole total of 24-under par to break the OVC Championship scoring record.
"We broke a lot of records," Eoff said. "We shot 24-under for 54 holes, which broke the conference record. We finished one, two, three and four in stroke play, and I've never had a team do that before."
Mark Stockdale claimed the individual championship at 13-under par, tying the OVC 54-hole scoring record. His final-round 64 was also one of the lowest rounds in school history.
Little Rock's postseason accolades continued to pile up after the championship run.
Ed Featherstone earned OVC Player of the Year honors, marking the fourth time a Trojan has won the award since Little Rock joined the conference.
Viggo Talasmaki was named OVC Freshman of the Year for the second straight season the Trojans have claimed the award.
All five members of the Little Rock lineup earned All-OVC honors.
"Ed got Player of the Year, which is the fourth time we've had the Player of the Year since joining the OVC," Eoff said. "We got Freshman of the Year again, and all five guys made All-Conference."
Featherstone said the Trojans are embracing the opportunity ahead.
"Obviously, we got quite a good regional with a lot of really good teams, but it's a great opportunity for us to play well and make the top five," Featherstone said. "We're pretty excited about it."
Featherstone also said the Trojans take confidence from competing against elite teams all season.
"We looked at the teams there and we've beaten a couple of them already this year, so we know we can do it," Featherstone said. "That definitely gives us confidence going into regionals."
For veteran
Rhett South, Wednesday's selection show reflected the growth of the program.
"It's awesome having everybody in the room and getting to experience that together," South said. "You really appreciate the support around this program and being able to share that moment with everyone."
South said Little Rock's schedule has prepared the Trojans for postseason competition.
"We've competed against some really good teams all year long and beaten a lot of really good teams," South said. "I think we're in a really good spot right now. We're excited to go compete."
Little Rock returns several players with NCAA Regional experience, including Featherstone and South, while Stockdale also competed in a regional prior to joining the Trojans.
"Ed played in a regional last year, Rhett played in one, and Mark has regional experience too," Eoff said. "That experience helps because regionals have a different feel, especially when you're around the cut line and every shot matters."
South said last season's regional appearance removed some of the unknowns heading into this year's postseason.
"At the end of the day, it's another tournament," South said. "We're excited for the opportunity."
Featherstone said last year's NCAA experience helped sharpen the team's approach.
"You watch how some of the best players manage the golf course and handle themselves," Featherstone said. "I think we've gotten a lot better with our strategy this spring, especially late in the season, and I think that will help us."
The Trojans also believe the Bermuda grass surfaces at Bermuda Run could work in their favor.
"We're used to Bermuda grass here in Little Rock, so I think that can definitely help us," South said. "It's a different type of grass and you have to understand how it plays. I think we're all confident with that."
Eoff said the Trojans' mentality has been built on players proving themselves at every level.
"A lot of our guys have had chips on their shoulders and had to earn everything," Eoff said. "That's part of who we are, and we'll use that as motivation when we get there."
That underdog mentality is something Featherstone said the Trojans embrace.
"It's pretty fun to be the underdog," Featherstone said. "We don't have all the pressure on us, so we can just go out there and try to prove people wrong."
The top five teams from each regional site will advance to the NCAA Championships later this month.
Bermuda Run Regional Field
- Virginia Cavaliers
- Ole Miss Rebels
- Pepperdine Waves
- Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
- USC Trojans
- Wake Forest Demon Deacons
- Mississippi State Bulldogs
- Little Rock
- NC State Wolfpack
- Kentucky Wildcats
- Houston Cougars
- Richmond Spiders
- Navy Midshipmen
- Presbyterian Blue Hose
