MEDIA RELEASE
The University of Hawaii at Hilo is headed to Florence, Ala. for the NCAA Division II Men’s National Championship following a fifth-place finish at the Central/West Regional in Albuquerque, NM.
Blake Snyder, who started the tournament tied for 20th place, finished second with a 4-under-par 212 after starting the day at even par 144 and finishing with a 4-under-par 68.
Corey Kozuma (75-72-76) and Travis Russell (69-73-81) were tied for 44th place at 7-over-par 223, a stroke ahead of Chris Shimomura (77-75-72=224) who was tied for 52nd place. Niel Cabico completed the squad and finished in a tie for 68th place at 14-over-par 230 (80-72-78).
Cal State Monterey Bay’s John Jackson took medalist honors at 8-under-par 208 (72-69-67).
Cal State Monterey won the Regional with a 9-under-par 855. They were followed by Sonoma State (857), Fort Lewis (865), Colorado State-Pueblo (866), Hawaii Hilo (876), Western Washington (877), Chico State (880), Western New Mexico (884), Colorado-Colorado Springs (886), Cal State Stanislaus (887), Grand Canyon (890), Dixie State (892), Colorado School of Mines (898), St. Martin’s (901), Cal State San Bernardino and Colorado Christian (911), St. Cloud State and Mesa State (915), Regis (918) and Minnesota State Mankato (929).
The top five teams and top-two unattached individuals advance to the National Championship. Advancing as individuals are UC San Diego’s Keith Okasaki and Chico State’s Kyle Souza.