May 7, 2003

Long qualifies for NCAA Division II Championships
Lions place third in Central Regional

Missouri Southern's Kyle Long has a little more season left in his golf campaign. The Joplin, Mo. senior placed third individually at the 2003 NCAA Division II Central Regional, thus securing a spot in the Division II Championships.

Long fired a 222 in the three-day Central Regional, that was held Monday through Wednesday (May 5-7) at Silo Ridge Golf Club in Bolivar, Mo. He shot a 74 over the first 18 holes, came back on Tuesday with a 76 and clinched his third-place showing on Wednesday with an even-par 72. Long finished two strokes up on Pittsburg State's Johnathan Ziolo for the individual national-qualifying spot from the Central Region.

The top team from each of the 10 regions earns a spot in the national championships, as does the top individual that's not on a qualifying team. Washburn University, the MIAA regular season champion, won the regional with a three-day cumulative of 884, including a 291 on Monday followed by a 296 on Tuesday and a 297 in Wednesday's final round. Two Ichabods, Matt Warnock and Derek Dultmeier finished 1-2 in the individual standings. Warnock shot 214 to win the individual crown by seven strokes over his teammate.

Second place in the regional went to Central Missouri State with a total of 911 (309-309-293). Missouri Southern, champion of the MIAA Tournament last week, finished third with a 916, five strokes back of CMSU. Southwest Baptist (919) was fourth and Missouri Western (931) was fifth.

Also for the Lions, sophomore Danny Sinksen (Sioux Falls, S.D.) tied for fifth place overall with a 225 (77-77-71). Another Missouri Southern senior, Mickey Carpenter (Neodesha, Kan.) was 18th with a 231 (76-81-74). Sophomore Andrew Koehler (Superior, Wis.) shot a 239 (80-84-75) to tie for 31st place and freshman Nick Marks (Pryor, Okla.) was 36th with a 244 (82-83-79).

Elsewhere in the final team standings for the Central, Truman State was sixth with 932, followed by Pittsburg State (935) and Minnesota-Crookston (973). The Great Lakes Regional was also contested at the same site, in one of five Division II "Super-Regionals".

Ferris State (Mich.) won the Great Lakes title with an 895.

Long, who on Tuesday was named the MIAA Player of the Week after capturing medalist honors at the conference tournament with a 219, will compete in the NCAA Division II Championships in Sunriver, Oregon on May 20-23 at Crosswater Golf Club.