Mankato, Minn. --- The Minnesota State men’s and women’s teams have both received invitations to compete in the 2010 NCAA Golf Championships.

The Maverick men, the 2010 Northern Sun Intercollegiate champions, are scheduled to compete in the NCAA Central/West Super Regional which will be held in Palm Desert, Calif., May 3-5.  The top five teams (regardless of region) and two student-athletes not with a team will advance to the NCAA finals May 18-21 in Nobles, Indiana.

The MSU men, who finished 20 at last year’s Super Regional, will be making their eighth overall NCAA appearance and have now qualified for the NCAA tournament the last five years in a row.  For the Mavericks, junior Kyle Bahe (Annandale, Minn.) has averaged 77.3 strokes in 12 rounds played this spring. Senior Jon Herzog (New Ulm, Minn.) is averaging 77.6 in 12 rounds played, senior Kyle Welch (Penticton, B.C.) who won the 2010 medalist honors at the recently-completed NSIC tournament, has averaged 78.1 in 12 rounds, senior Bryant Black (Alexandria, Minn.) has played 12 rounds and averaged 78.3 and senior Jimmy Fromm (New Ulm, Minn.), who has played four rounds, has averaged 76.8.
 
The Minnesota State women’s golf team will compete and serve as hosts for the NCAA Division II Central Regional, which will take place at The Jewel in Lake City, Minn., May 4-6.  The top three teams from each regional will advance to the championship tournament which will be held May 12-15 in Mesa, Ariz.

MSU, which is coming off a third-place finish at the recently completed NSIC championship, is making its 11th appearance in the NCAA tournament. The Mavericks are making their third consecutive appearance at the NCAA tournament having finished fourth at last year’s regional.  MSU is led by sophomore Samantha Bergmann (New Ulm, Minn.), who is averaging 79.7 for the year. Junior Kathleen Ritter (Red Wing, Minn.) is averaging 80.1,  senior Jaymie Halvorson (Red Wing, Minn.) has an 80.7 mark for the year, sophomore Lisa Moline (Duluth, Minn.) is at 82.0, senior Kassie Ellsworth (Hayward, Minn.) has an 82.7 average and junior Leah Grozdanich (Cohasset, Minn.) is averaging 84.1.

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