DETROIT (May 15, 2022) – There was a time when Oklahoma Christian not only making the national tournament in men's golf, but contending for a title, was a regular occurrence. From 2000 to fall 2014, in both the NAIA and National Christian College Athletic Association, the Eagles put together a remarkable streak of 16 consecutive top-four national finishes.

The competition level rose when OC became a full member of NCAA Division II with the 2015-16 season and while the Eagles have stayed among the elite – they're a regular in the Division II coaches' poll – national-tournament trips have been harder to come by.

OC qualified for the Division II Championship in 2016, but due to a variety of reasons – misfortune in regional tournaments, a pandemic, untimely injuries – they haven't made a return trip to nationals until this week, when the Eagles will be one of 20 teams teeing it up at TPC Michigan. OC will be in a grouping with Missouri-St. Louis and Georgia Southwestern in Monday's opening round, which the Eagles will start at 8:25 a.m.

"It is a wonderful feeling to be back at NCAA finals," OC coach David Lynn said. "It's a wonderful reward for our team's hard work all season long."

Because of Division II's emphasis on regional competition – at least four teams from each of four Super Regions are guaranteed spots in the national field – it's much more difficult to qualify for the national tournament than it was in the NAIA or NCCAA. Those organizations provide at-large berths for highly ranked teams to ensure top squads compete in the national tournament, which Division II does not do. That's why there are only 13 ranked teams (including No. 7 OC) among the 20 in this week's field.

That said, there is something satisfying about having to earn your way into the national field with a top-four regional finish. That's what OC did, claiming the final spot out of the South Central-West Super Regional at Pueblo Country Club in Pueblo, Colo., which ended on May 7. When freshman Exequiel Rodriguez drained a pressure-packed 15-foot bogey putt on the final hole to seal OC's trip to nationals, the relief and joy in the cheers of his teammates were equally audible.

Now that they're in, Lynn believes he has a squad that can be in the mix. The first three days of the tournament will include 54 holes of stroke play, after which an individual medalist will be crowned. The top eight teams then will advance to match/medal play to determine the team champion.

OC has played in two tournaments this year that used similar formats. The Eagles reached the title match in the King-Alfred Spring Invitational at Eagles Bluff Country Club in Bullard, Texas, and fell in the semifinals of the Lone Star Conference Championship tournament to Midwestern State (Texas) at Squaw Valley Golf Club's Apache Links in Glen Rose, Texas.

The Eagles have a lineup with a strong blend of experience and talent. Senior Andres Brictson of Merida, Mexico, has won five collegiate tournaments (including a conference title). Junior Alejandro Armijo of Rio Rancho, N.M., has two collegiate wins and both he and Brictson have qualified (in separate years) for the prestigious U.S. Amateur Championship.

Sophomore Mateo Pulcini of Rio Cuarto, Argentina, has won two tournaments this season. Rodriguez, from Buenos Aires, Argentina, helped extend OC's season with clutch play in the Super Regional and freshman Oskari Nikku of Tuusula, Finland, also has shown the potential to post a low score.

"We are not just happy to be here," Lynn said. "This team wants to compete for a championship this week. It's something we have trained for with every practice and every event, all year long. We plan to leave it all on the course this week."

Joining OC in the field for the Division II Championship will be No. 1 Barry (Fla.), No. 2 Arkansas Tech, No. 3 Lee (Tenn.), No. 4 North Georgia, No. 5 Limestone (S.C.), No. 8 Georgia Southwestern, No. 10 Florida Southern, No. 11 Central Missouri, No. 14 Midwestern State, No. 23 Indianapolis (Ind.), No. 24 Grand Valley State (Mich.), No. 25 Missouri-St. Louis and seven unranked teams – Findlay (Ohio), Colorado State-Pueblo, Colorado Mesa, St. Thomas Aquinas (N.Y.), Charleston (W.Va.), Gannon (Pa.) and Davis and Elkins (W.Va.).

OC has a 13-11-1 record this season against teams in the national field. In the deepest field they've faced so far this season, they finished third in West Florida's Argonaut Invitational in Pensacola, Fla., in April, beating seven top-25 squads and tying another (Limestone).

LIVE STATISTICS