The Mercyhurst University men’s golf team is advancing to the 2014 NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championship Regionals. Only 10 teams are going from the Atlantic Region. The Lakers finished 9th to secure their spot.

This is the fourth time in the past five years that the Lakers have made it to this NCAA Atlantic Regionals.

Freshman Chris Kupniewski along with junior Cory Vinborg lead the team so far this season with an average of 77 strokes per round.

Vinborg also hit his season-low this year on April 13 where he carded a 70 during his final round of the regular season.

“It feels great to be leading the team as a freshman, along with Cory. It helps boost my confidence for playing well in my later years at Mercyhurst, and pushes me to want to lower my average even more. It is a great feeling to know that I am helping our team out with the scores I’ve been putting up,” Kupniewski said.

The Lakers will be competing against 80 teams in the tournament as well as 32 athletes competing as individuals.

“In order for our team to progress in this tournament we all have to practice hard the week before and have to all shoot decent rounds at regionals.” We need to all step up and try to play to the best of our ability,” Kupniewski said.

The Lakers will be traveling to Charleston, W.Va., for the regional tournament on May 5-7.

“We need to go into regionals knowing we can do it. We are all extremely excited for this because all our hard work and practice has paid off. We want to go and play our best so that we have a chance to move on to nationals,” Kupniewski said.

At a minimum, the top three teams and top two athletes competing as individuals will advance to nationals May 19-23. This will be held in Allendale, Michigan.