Sharks Excited for Challenge at South/Southeast Regional

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The energy surrounding the Nova Southeastern men’s golf team has definitely ramped up over the past couple weeks. Not only have the Sharks seemed to have found their groove following a runner-up finish at the Sunshine State Conference Championship, but now have their sights set on returning to Nationals for the first time since their 2015 championship season with the NCAA South/Southeast Regional set to begin this Thursday, May 6 at Streamsong Resort in Bowling Green, Fla.

The Sharks know they can compete with the nation’s very best, but will have their work cut out for them, as 13 of the tournament’s 16 teams currently rank among Division II’s Top-25, including eight within the Top-10. No. 1 West Florida earned the top seed in the South Region, while No. 2 Lincoln Memorial landed the top seed out of the Southeast Region. NSU was selected as the No. 5 seed in the South Region.

For much of the season, the Sharks have been led by SSC Freshman of the Year Javier Calles, who has produced Top-10 finishes in half of his six tournament appearances. Over the past month, though, the team’s play has picked up across the board, especially when it relates to Tomas Millet. After a slow start to the year, the senior has produced a tie for 12th and a tie for ninth in each of his past two starts. Emanuel Olofsson has also flashed with a tie for 13th at the SSC Championship, with Victor Jimenez providing a steady presence having finished no worse than tied for 22nd over the course of five tournaments.

With his team surging at the right time, NSU head coach Joey Marino has reason to believe the Sharks can extend their season past this weekend.

“One of the main things we’ve been focusing on quite a bit is to continue to stay patient during each round,” said Marino. “The first couple rounds is just about giving yourself an opportunity. I think that Streamsong suits us well. I expect us to be right there with an opportunity on Saturday to make it into Nationals.

“I think the exciting part about this past season is seeing some of the guys grow a little bit. I think the excitement comes from us having a very good, young team. A young team that’s been able to have this success, it’s super exciting.”

NSU Lineup
No. 1 – Javier Calles
No. 2 – Tomas Millet
No. 3 – Emanuel Olofsson
No. 4 – Victor Jimenez
No. 5 – Joseba Torres

The Field (Bushnell Golfweek Coaches Poll Rankings)
No. 7 Barry
No. 13 Columbus State
Florida Southern
No. 14 Georgia College
No. 10 Georgia Southwestern State
No. 8 Lee
No. 2 Lincoln Memorial
No. 3 Lynn
Mount Olive
No. 19 North Georgia
No. 23 Nova Southeastern
No. 12 Saint Leo
No. 5 South Carolina-Aiken
Valdosta State
No. 1 West Florida
No. 9 Young Harris

Individuals
Alberto Dominguez, Erskine
Austin Duncan, North Greenville
Evans Lewis, North Greenville
Paul Murphy, Montevallo
Trystan Perkins, Rollins
Aadam Syed, Tampa

Format
The South/Southeast Regional will feature 54 holes of stroke play, with one round to be played each day from Thursday through Saturday. NSU will play alongside both Georgia College and Saint Leo in the opening round. The first groups will tee off at 9:20 a.m.

Course Information
Streamsong Resort will play as a Par-72, covering 7,139 yards.

Tournament History
Following the cancellation of the event a season ago, Lynn remains the defending South/Southeast Region champions after defeating West Florida by nine shots back at Mission Inn Resort & Club in 2019.

While the Sharks collectively struggled by placing 15th as a team that year, former All-American Juan Jose Guerra finished tied for third at two-under par to earn an individual bid to the National Championship.

NSU last won the South/Southeast Regional in 2015, paving the way for the program’s eventual second national title.

Millet is the only NSU player with any previous experience at a regional.

How to Follow
For live stats throughout all three rounds, please visit the men’s golf schedule page or simply click here. For post-round updates, follow the Sharks on Instagram and Twitter at @NSU_MGolf. A complete recap with full results will be available on NSUSharks.com following the conclusion of each day.

Up Next
The tournament’s top four teams, and the top individual outside of an advancing team, will qualify for NCAA DII National Championship, which will run from May 17-21 at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
 

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