Terps Earn NCAA Golf Bid For First Time Since 1994
6/21/1999 8:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
May 11, 1999
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Ranked No. 30 in the country in the latest MasterCard/College Golf Foundation rankings, the Maryland golf team was named today as one of 23 selections to the NCAA East Regional, to be played May 20-22 at Rhode Island Country Club in Providence, R.I. Eleven teams and two individuals will advance to the NCAA Championships, conducted June 2-5 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn.
The Terrapins, under the guidance of eighth-year head coach Tom Hanna, finished in the top six of every spring tournament in 1999, and recorded four top-three finishes to secure their first bid to regional competition in five years. Maryland was the seventh team out of eight chosen from the NCAA's District III North. Sixteen of the 23 teams chosen for the regional field were selected from District III North and South schools which comprise 13 of the nation's top 30 teams.
The field for next weekend's competition includes top-ranked Georgia, No. 3 Clemson, and Atlantic Coast Conference champion and fourth-ranked Georgia Tech. The remainder of the field, with their latest MasterCard/CGF rankings: Florida (9), South Carolina (11), North Carolina (14), East Tennessee State (17), NC State (19), Mississippi State (21), North Florida (23), South Alabama (27), Augusta State (28), Maryland (30), Mississippi (42), Georgia State (43), Duke (45), Connecticut, James Madison, Penn State, Rhode Island, Richmond, Seton Hall and Yale.
In 1994, the Terps finished 16th out of 23 schools at the NCAA East Regional at Grand National Lake Golf Course in Opelika, Ala. Prior to Maryland's appearance in the '94 regional, it's last NCAA appearance was in 1976 when it finished ninth nationally.
The Terrapins have been led in 1999 by junior Keith Unikel (Potomac, Md.) whose 72.33 stroke average currently ranks him No. 48 nationally among competitors for the Golfstat Cup. Unikel was a recent All-ACC selection, Maryland's first since 1994, and among three Terps with top five finishes this spring. Junior Gary Mankulish (Laurel, Md.) trails Unikel with a 73.62 stroke average. Senior Miguel Rivera (Bel Air, Md.) is next with a 74.23 average, but it is Rivera's play that has Maryland playing its best team golf of the season heading into the NCAA Regional.
Rivera has shot six rounds of par or better in his last three tournaments (nine rounds) while firing a 72.11 average during that span. His last time out, Rivera won a five-hole playoff at the Furman Intercollegiate on May 2 to capture Maryland's only individual title of the season.
Maryland is currently No. 30 in MasterCard/College Golf Foundation rankings, No. 32 by Golfstat and No. 37 in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin ratings.
