Wichita State is going back to the NCAA Championships after winning the 2006 State Farm MVC Men's Golf Championship on Tuesday, April 25, in Hutchinson, Kan., played on the par-70 Prairie Dunes Country Club. Medalist Ryan Spears was the difference as the sophomore carded a three-round three-under-par of 66-68-73=207 to outdistance the field by seven strokes. Wichita State edged Drake in the team standings by two strokes (882 to 884).
The Shockers fired a three-round 284-291-307=882 to edge Drake (293-288-303=884) and Southern Illinois (299-286-301=886) in the team standings. Pre-championship favorite Illinois State finished fourth in the team standings.
Spears is the first Wichita State medalist in three seasons (Ty Cline won in 2003), but he's the 12th Shocker to win a conference tournament medalist honor. His 66 in the first round was tournament best for a single round; his 68 in the second round tied for the best in the second round; and his 73 on Tuesday was third-best of the day -- a day which featured 25-degree windchill to start and windgusts of up to 30 miles per hour. His 35-foot putt on the final hole put an exlamation point on his individual performance and help the Shockers secure the team crown.
Spears highlighted the 10-player all-conference team as he was joined by teammate Cameron Bishop; Drake's Kane Hanson and Ryan Smith; Southern Illinois' Chad Cooper, Roger Welch, and Sean McNemar; Illinois State's Kris Wildenradt and Matt Miller; and Missouri State's Matt Sullivan.
The team victory for Wichita State gives the Shockers their sixth Missouri Valley Conference men's golf title in the past eight years and a fourth-straight trip to the NCAA Regionals. Wichita State has titles in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2006 in that eight-year run.
2006 Team Standings
1 Wichita State ...........284 291 307 882 +42
2 Drake University ........293 288 303 884 +44
3 Southern Illinois .......299 286 301 886 +46
4 Illinois State ..........295 288 311 894 +54
5 Missouri State ..........295 298 310 903 +63
6 Bradley University ......303 303 315 921 +81
7 Northern Iowa............302 309 317 928 +88
8 Evansville...............304 304 322 930 +90
9 Creighton University.....313 312 339 964 +124
2006 Leading Individuals (top 20)
1 Ryan Spears, WSU ........66 68 73 207 -3
2 Kane Hanson, DU..........72 68 74 214 +4
3 Chad Cooper, SIU.........72 72 72 216 +6
4 Kris Wildenradt, ISU.....76 68 74 218 +8
5 Ryan Smith, DU...........77 72 71 220 +10
6 Roger Welch, SIU.........75 71 75 221 +11
7 Sean McNemar, SIU........75 68 79 222 +12
8 Cameron Bishop, WSU......69 76 78 223 +13
T9 Jeff Berkshire, DU......72 75 77 224 +14
T9 Brad Boan, WSU..........73 72 79 224 +14
T9 Jason Kemp, ISU.........72 73 79 224 +14
T9 Todd Laney, MSU.........72 72 80 224 +14
13 Chris Eddy, ISU.........74 75 76 225 +15
T14 Josh Brown, BU>........74 73 80 227 +17
T14 Matt Miller, ISU.......73 72 82 227 +17
T14 Matt Sullivan, MSU.....77 73 77 227 +17
T17 Mark Schmitz, SIU......78 75 75 228 +18
T17 Jordan Weber, UNI......74 78 76 228 +18
19 Nick Pyatt, MSU.........69 83 78 230 +20
T20 Keth Malone, DU........77 73 81 231 +21
T20 Tyler Sanders, WSU.....79 75 77 231 +21
T20 Kyle Shay, BU..........81 74 76 231 +21