Their three rounds while winning the Horizon League title for the third time in five seasons were 282, 294 and 280 for an 8-under 856. They won by 18 shots.
Oklahoma won the regional at The Farms Golf Club with a 3-under 837, while Cal, Oklahoma State, West Virginia and North Florida also qualified for the nationals May 24-29 at Carlsbad, Calif.
But third-year coach Conner Lash was upbeat all week, noting how the Raiders were one of only two Ohio teams to make the NCAA tourney (along with Ohio State) and can turn the highs from this season into a springboard for next year.
“You take the positives out of this. It’s 70 (degrees) and sunny every day. There’s kids on the team who’ve never been to California. Nobody is down in the dumps,” he said.
“We should be proud of what we accomplished. We didn’t have our best stuff this week. But we’ve got a young team. It’s going to be a good experience going forward.”
Fifth-year player Mikkel Mathiesen — the HL Golfer of the Year and a four-time first-team all-league pick — had the team’s best finish with a tie for 42nd after shooting 70, 77 and 73.
He’d already set school records for lowest average in a season at 70.38 and for a career at 71.23 (postseason rounds aren’t included in the official tally).
Though his departure will leave a gaping hole, Wright State likely will be the preseason league favorite again in 2024-25.
Senior Andrew Flynn, who went 77-76-72, won the conference individual title and is taking his fifth year of eligibility given to athletes who competed during the pandemic.
Timmy Hollenbeck, who shot 73-79-75, lost in a playoff to Flynn for the league title and was named freshman of the year.
Sophomore Shane Ochs (whose rounds were 85-75-72) made the five-player all-conference first team, while sophomore Adam Horn (78-77-72) was named second team.
“We accomplished a lot this year. We had the conference player of the year, won a conference championship — we’ll get a ring — had four people on all-league and won three tournaments,” Lash said.
Freshman Kye Fisher was the alternate and practiced with the team and warmed up before rounds. And all eight players were on the travel squad to the San Diego area.
“Hopefully, we’ll make it back next year, and we’ll have a bunch of guys who have seen what it looks like,” Lash said.
Mathiesen, who was born in Denmark and raised in Qatar, was making his third straight trip to the NCAA regionals after having qualified as an individual last year.
He elevated the program and now plans to see if he can make a living at the game.
“I’m going to stay an amateur and play in the Western Am at Moraine (July 29 to Aug. 3). After that, I’m turning pro and taking my shot at the Korn Ferry qualifying school in the fall,” he said.
He won the league individual title in record fashion in 2022 and then was gutted like every other Raider when they had to settle for a runner-up finish last year.
“That was a weight off my shoulders — and everyone else’s shoulders — to win that league championship this year,” he said.
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