University Park, Pa. — Senior T.J. Howe's golf career at Penn State has been extended as the talented Nittany Lion accepts an individual bid to participate in the 2011 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships set to take place May 19-21.
"T.J. has been recognized by the committee as the number one seeded individual in the region," said Coach Greg Nye. "He has had another outstanding year and will be an outstanding competitor representing Penn State in this year's National Championship."
Coming off an exceptional spring season, which included three top-ten finishes, a hole-in-one at the Illini Classic and a Big Ten Golfer of the Week honor, Howe, who was ranked No. 149 in Golfweek's most recent rankings, will head to the Virginia Tech Region to compete as the top seeded individual in the three-day, 54-hole tournament.
Although this will be Howe's premier performance at the Pete Dye River Course, the NCAA tournament is an event he has had experience with throughout his collegiate career. The 2011 edition will mark Howe's fourth NCAA Championship appearance, however it will be the senior's first time ever competing as an individual.
Regionals will take place at six elite courses including; Colorado National Golf Club in Erie, Colo. hosted by University of Colorado-Boulder, The Farms Golf Club in San Diego, Calif. hosted by UCSD, Wolf Run Golf Club in Zionsville, Ind. hosted by Indiana, The Pete Dye River Course at Virginia Tech in Radford, Va. hosted by Virginia Tech, Golden Ocala Golf Club in Ocala, Fla. hosted by Florida and Omni Tucson National Resort in Tucson, Ariz. hosted by Arizona. Thirteen teams and ten individuals not on those teams will compete at three of these regional sites, while 14 teams and five individuals not on those teams will compete at the other three regional sites. The low five teams as well as the low individual not on those teams from the six sites will meet at the finals at Karsten Creek in Stillwater, Okla hosted by Oklahoma State.
Completing the field at Virginia Tech, in order of seed, are teams (most recent Golfweek rankings); Georgia Tech (2), LSU (8), Duke (16), Virginia (17), Oklahoma (24), Kent State (33), Virginia Tech (42), Mississippi (57), East Carolina (35), North Carolina-Wilmington (49), Coastal Carolina (61), Lamar (69) and Yale (162) and individuals; No. 151 John Popeck (Maryland), No. 208 Jake Katz (Binghamton), No. 215 Vaita Guillaume (Campbell), No. 162 Adam Hofmann (Vanderbilt), No. 309 Chandler Brazeal (Wofford), No. 242 Matt Moot (Campbell), No. 366 Richard Fountain (Davidson), No. 448 Herbert Day (Xavier) and No. 392 Peter Williamson (Dartmouth).