ROHNERT PARK – Chico State did its part by scoring a 4-under 284 on the third and final day of the NCAA Men's Golf Super Regionals at Foxtail Golf Club Saturday. With a tournament score of 5-over 869, the Wildcats then had to wait on other results to come in.
 
Several hours later, the Wildcats learned they finished third in the regional and have qualified to play in their 19^th NCAA Championship since 1999. The NCAA invites the top five teams from each Super Regional to play at Avalon Lakes in Warren, Ohio. It will be held May 22-26.
 
It will also be Chico State's first national championship tournament appearance since 2016.
 
Much like Friday's second round, the Wildcats were superb in the third round. Although they had three players record at a triple bogey, the 'Cats picked each other up with 22 birdies combined as well as par 50 times.
 
Naoki Easterday was crucial to the Wildcats' ticket to nationals, scoring a 6-under 66. He joins Dakota Ochoa as the only Wildcats to score a 66 on the season. Despite a bogey on a par-5, Easterday was perfect, carding seven birdies and made par 10 times.
 
With that score, he caught up to Tyler Ashman for a tie for fifth place in the individual leaderboard with each scoring a 1-under 213 in the tournament.
 
Ashman continued to be the most consistent Chico State player in the lineup, scoring a 1-under 71 in the third round. He started the day off with three straight birdies and ended the front-9 1-under par.
 
Giuliano Kaminski had a few hiccups but his 2-under par in the front-9 helped him post a 73 score.
 
Dakota Ochoa started the front-9 with an even 36. Although he triple-bogied hole No. 10, he made up for it with two birdies and five pars consecutively.
 
Giacomo Sorrentino rounded out the 'Cats with a 78. He birdied the first hole and finished the day with 12 pars.
 
Host CCAA member Sonoma State leaped five spots in the final round to win the Super Regional. Also joining the two CCAA schools are Western Washington, Oklahoma Christian and Simon Fraser.