WWU To Host 2009 National Championships

Steve Card

Western Washington University will host the 2009 NCAA Division II National Men's Golf Championship on May 19-22 at the Loomis Trail Golf and Country Club and the Semiahmoo Resort and Spa.

This is the first NCAA championship that Western has hosted in any sport. The Vikings had the men's golf Super Regional in 2004, and regional championships in men's and women's basketball, cross country and women's golf.

“Having a championship of this magnitude is going to be one of the biggest, if not the biggest sporting event to hit Whatcom County ,” said WWU golf coach Steve Card, who is in his 15th year of coaching at WWU. “For Western to host this event, it's going to make for an amazing week.”

“I've been to 11 national championships and every time I've thought to myself what it would be like to host one. Then over the years when we were host to regional championships in basketball, golf and cross country, I've seen the quality and caliber of the event we've put on.

"It became more and more apparent that we could not only host a national championship, but have it be one of the best there's been.”

Loomis Trail measures 7,137 yards in length. It was the site of the 1996 Pacific Northwest Golf Amateur as well as a qualifying site for the 2003 United States Golf Association Senior Open and the 2006 United States Amateur qualifier.

“It's a pretty stout test,” Card said of Loomis Trail. “Water comes into play on all 18 holes. Over the course of four days, it will definitely identify the best team and the best individual in the country.”

“I wanted it to be a tremendous experience for the student-athletes, which ultimately is what it's all about,” said Card. “And I think we've got that in a golf course like Loomis Trail and a facility like the Semiahmoo Resort.

This year's national championship will be a part of the 2008 NCAA II National Sports Festival in Houston , Tex.

The last time the championship was held in the west was 2003 at Sunriver , Oregon , when Chico State was the host. Card felt that worked in Western's favor when submitting the bid.

“The committee is excited to play in the northwest part of the country,” said Dick Beechner, chair of the NCAA II Men's Golf Committee and head coach at University of Nebraska-Kearney. “We're looking forward to a great golf course in Loomis Trail.”

“We're very impressed with the administration at Western Washington University and we feel that they are going to do a great job of hosting the championship in 2009.”

Barry University is the defending national champion, snapping a string of three titles by University of South Carolina - Aiken.

Western has made five NCAA II national appearances with its best finish being sixth in 2000. The Vikings also went in 1999, 2003, 2004 and 2005