Entering the final round, the defending national champion Oregon Ducks were on the bubble for the chance to defend their title at the championship. But a solid three-over 291--the second-low round of the day--lifted them to a third place finish and a return visit to the NCAA's.

As with the other regional sites, the real action centered around the fifth spot and who would advance. The low five teams and the low individual not on a qualifying team qualify for the NCAA Championship, to be held at Rich Harvest Farms in Elk Grove, IL, May 26-31.

Going into the final round, Oregon and Northwestern took a one shot lead over Kentucky for the fifth and final spot into the championship, with Jacksonville another six shots back. Alexander Herrmann of Georgia State had a one-shot lead over Cooper Musselman of Kentucky in the race for the lone individual spot in the championship.

Virginia seemed to have plenty of cushion entering the day, comfortably in the third spot. But the Cavaliers backed up with a 301--the highest score of any team in the top eight--to give themselves a scare, but in the end they made it through in fourth.

Jacksonville made the biggest move, shooting the low round of the day with a 289 for an 883 total. They were matched at that number by Northwestern (295), who would have qualified easily if they did not have to count a 79 in their team score. Kentucky (295) fell one shot short at 884 which meant that Jacksonville and Northwestern would play off for the final spot.

In the playoff, both teams went two-over on the eighteenth hole, sending the playoff to the par-four tenth. Jacksonville then came up big, with four pars and a birdie for a one-under team score, and when Northwestern made a bogey and then hit a drive out of bounds, it was over and Jacksonville advanced to the championship.

Mason Overstreet of the University of Arkansas claimed the lone individual spot, firing the low round of the day with a 67 that gave him a 218 total to eclipse Tyler Daniel (71) of Kentucky by a single shot.