REGIONAL CHAMPS! How history was made for Men's Golf, Gonzalez

By Chad Peters | St. Mary's Athletics Communications

AMARILLO, Texas — The NCAA regional championship trophy was hoisted Wednesday evening, but St. Mary's Eric Valenzuela traced its origins back much further.

All the way back to August, in fact, when the team gathered for the very first time in head coach Thomas Kearney's office.

"We put together a game plan," Valenzuela recalled, "and lived up to what we want to be on the golf course and as individuals off the golf course. When you do everything right outside of golf, it's easier on the golf course. 5925

"It's just a testament to Coach Kearney and what he's done for this program."

A fact that was on full display Wednesday.

After entering the third and final round trailing California Baptist by a single stroke, St. Mary's rallied to overtake California Baptist for the NCAA Division II West/South Central Regional championship — the first in the program's history — by four strokes at La Paloma Golf Club.

Sophomore Emilio Gonzalez spearheaded the surge, climbing from three strokes back after Day 2 to tie for first place for the best individual regional finish in the team's history. Gonzalez lost a two-hole playoff to Colorado Mines' George Markham for the individual title, but that hardly mattered afterward to the sophomore from San Miguel, Mexico, considering what his team had just accomplished.

"I was so excited for the guys — for us — more than anything that I guess the playoff didn't really mean that much to me," Gonzalez said with a chuckle. "I knew (the playoff) was a big thing, and I gave my best.

"The other guy just played a better second hole. When I lost the playoff, I shook his hand and went straight to the boys. Inside, I was just so happy and so emotional."

Senior Ben Arnett's mind went to similar places as they gazed into the regional championship trophy, thinking of the long line of former Rattler teammates who helped pave the road to make this day possible.

"I know a lot of people that have worked really hard to achieve this," Arnett said. "I'm extremely blessed that both Emilio and Eric have been here since (winning regionals) has been the goal.

"It's everything that I hoped it would be and more."

Gonzalez carded a 4-under-par 67 Wednesday, finishing 5-under for the tournament. Freshman Alejandro Santibanez turned in the team's second-best performance of the final round, shooting a 1-over 72 to finish tied for 30th.

Valenzuela, a redshirt junior, shot 75 for a second straight day, finishing tied for 15^th. Arnett and Ryan Dixon shot 80 and 76, respectively, in the final round.

"We didn't play special," Arnett said. "We just hung in there. We managed our games very well today."

Which made his coach especially proud.

"I'm so proud of the guys this week," Kearney said. "We set some very ambitious goals at the beginning of this season, and getting to the NCAA National Championship allows us to tick off another one of those boxes. We have a very young and hungry group, and it's been wonderful to watch their growth and development throughout the season."

Next up for the Rattlers is the NCAA National Championship, held May 22-25 at the RTJ Fighting Joe in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The last time the Rattlers played the course, they finished third at the National Preview in March.

Previously, the program's best team finish at regionals was second place (2006), while the top individual finish was Luke Antonelli's second-place performance in 2003.

"We are not done yet!" Kearney said. "We'll now take a day or two off, and then get back to work in preparation for Alabama. It's a course we enjoyed playing during the National Preview in March as it suits our strengths very well. We can't wait to get there!"

A sentiment his players share.

"Holding the regional championship trophy is awesome, but we're not done yet," Valenzuela said. "Obviously, the main goal is the national championship. We're excited to represent St. Mary's on the bigger stage.

"We've got to get back on the grind and take on Alabama."

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Players Mentioned

Ben Arnett: 6' 0"; Senior

Emilio Gonzalez: 5' 8"; Sophomore

Eric Valenzuela: 5' 8"; Redshirt Junior

Alejandro Santibanez: 5' 8"; Freshman

Ryan Dixon: 5' 11"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Ben Arnett
: 6' 0"; Senior

Emilio Gonzalez
: 5' 8"; Sophomore

Eric Valenzuela
: 5' 8"; Redshirt Junior

Alejandro Santibanez
: 5' 8"; Freshman

Ryan Dixon
: 5' 11"; Freshman

St. Mary's University Athletics

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REGIONAL CHAMPS! How history was made for Men's Golf, Gonzalez

Players Mentioned

Ben Arnett

Emilio Gonzalez

Eric Valenzuela

Alejandro Santibanez

Ryan Dixon

Players Mentioned

Ben Arnett

Emilio Gonzalez

Eric Valenzuela

Alejandro Santibanez

Ryan Dixon