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Men's golf set for national championship

Follow the Otters at the national championship May 17-20

As soon as the members of the Otter men's golf team finished play in last year's NCAA Division II national championship -- where they placed 11th -- they started planning for this year’s title run.

The planning and preparation paid off. A two-stroke win over runner-up Sonoma State in the Central/West Super Regional qualified CSUMB for a spot in the national championship, which kicks off May 17 at the Robert Trent Jones at the Shoals course in Florence, Ala. They will join 14 other teams in the chase for the national title.

“What an awesome day for CSUMB's Athletic Department, the university and the Monterey Bay community,” said head coach Jason Owen after his team won the super regional. “Five wins in a row is pretty impressive at any level but to do it at this level is amazing.”

The Otters recorded a total of 9-under-par 855 to bring home CSUMB's first regional title.

CSUMB entered the final round six strokes behind Sonoma State. The Otters shot 7-under-par 281 as a team Wednesday to beat the Seawolves by eight strokes.

“I'm extremely pleased with the team's performance,” Owen said. “We did exactly what we set out to do.”

John Jackson (above) fired an 8-under-par 208 to take individual honors, the first CSUMB male golfer to win a regional tournament. In the final round, Jackson had a flawless performance with five birdies and 13 pars. He finished with 16 birdies in the 54-hole tournament.

Dylan Jackson tied for third with a 3-under 213.

The Otters earned the No. 1 seed in the regional -- and a huge confidence boost -- after claiming their second straight California Collegiate Athletic Association title. Four Otters placed in the top 10, including medalist Scott Yeakel, Oskar Nystrom, John Jackson and Dylan Jackson. Coach Jason Owen was named CCAA coach of the year.

Here's a wrap-up of the spring sports:

• Baseball: Capping off its best season to date, the baseball team ended its season with a 6-3 victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills on May 8.

The Otters set a program record for wins in a season with a 21-28 overall mark; it also turned in a program-best California Collegiate Athletic Association record at 18-22.

“I couldn't be more proud of this group of guys, and they have a lot to be proud of as well,” said first-year coach Walt White. “These guys have set the foundation for a very bright future here. Coming off a difficult 2010 season, this team learned how to compete together, believe in each other, and play selfless baseball. We grew as a team throughout the year.”

• Softball: Catcher Shae Olds broke the CCAA career home run record with 44. She concluded her career at CSUMB with a .338 batting average, 194 hits, 73 runs, 20 doubles and two triples. She also batted in 153 runs in 574 at-bats. The team finished with a 24-27 overall record, 17-18 in conference.

• Water polo: The women’s water polo team concluded its season with a seventh-place finish at the Western Water Polo Association tournament, the best finish ever for the Otters. For the season, Nikki Smart led the team with 114 goals, making her one of the top scorers in the nation. The team finished with an 18-20 record.

• Volleyball: Local standout Julia Ashen has signed a letter of intent to join the Otters next fall. The 6-1 outside hitter was named player of the year by both local newspapers. She’ll join a team that finished sixth in CCAA play last fall with a 12-10 mark, 15-10 overall.

Julia Ashen signs her national letter of intent to play volleyball at CSUMB in fall 2011