Men's Golf

Waves Take on Oklahoma for NCAA Title

Pepperdine downed Florida State and Oklahoma State Monday in Match Play

NCAA TOURNAMENT CENTRAL | PEPPERDINE MATCH PLAY DAY ONE RECAP
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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Pepperdine’s surge continued Tuesday in dramatic fashion. After qualifying for NCAA Championship Match Play for the first time, the Waves beat Florida State and Oklahoma State to advance to Wednesday’s title match against Oklahoma.
 
Pepperdine defeated the Seminoles 3-1-1 in the quarterfinals and powered past the Cowboys 3-0-2 in the semifinals on a blistering hot day at Grayhawk Golf Club.
 
PEPPERDINE MEN’S GOLF NCAA TOURNAMENT NOTABLES
  • The Waves advanced to NCAA Nationals for the 11th time in program history in 2021
  • Don’t Call it a Comeback…
    • The Waves were ninth after three rounds at NCAA Nationals
    • Pepperdine roared back in the fourth round putting together the best stroke play team round of the tournament, finishing at 9-under 271, vaulting the Waves from ninth place to third
    • Pepperdine entered the final round of the NCAA Cle Elum Regional tied for fifth place, 18 shots back of 36-hole leader East Tennessee State
    • Waves finished comfortably in fourth at Tumble Creek Golf Club posting the best team round of the final day, led by Joey Vrzich’s 6-under 65
  • Pepperdine won the 2021 WCC Men’s Golf Championship at 49-under, shattering its own event record in the process. The Waves won the 2018 championship at 26-under.
  • The Waves finished the 2019-20 season ranked No. 1 in the country behind a program record two first team All-Americans
    • William Mouw earned first team All-American honors as a freshman
    • Sahith Theegala was the unanimous 2019-20 NCAA Player of the Year, sweeping the Fred Haskins, Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus awards. A three-time All-American, Theegala is the first Wave to earn national player of the year honors.
  • Pepperdine finished 11th at the 2019 NCAA Nationals
 
WAVES TURNING IN QUITE A FORTNIGHT
  • Waves Men’s Golf is the second Pepperdine team to compete in a NCAA Championship Final since… May 22
  • Pepperdine Women’s Tennis – NCAA Finals May 22 (Fell 3-2 to Texas)
  • *Pepperdine Men’s Tennis Doubles Championship – (Lost in NCAA Semifinals)
 
WCC IN NCAA TEAM NATIONAL FINALS – 2020-21
  • Pepperdine Men’s Golf becomes the fourth West Coast Conference program to advance to a NCAA National Final in 2021
    • Waves are the fourth WCC team to compete in a NCAA Championship in less than two months
    • The WCC has sent six teams to an NCAA semifinal since the start of April (LMU Beach Volleyball & Pepperdine Men’s Tennis – Doubles)
  • Pepperdine Women’s Tennis – 2021 NCAA National Runner-Up (First Finals appearance) – 5/22/21
  • Santa Clara Women’s Soccer – 2020 NCAA Champions (11th College Cup) – 5/17/21
  • Gonzaga Men’s Basketball – 2021 NCAA National Runner-Up (Second Final Four) – 4/5/21
 
WCC NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS – 2020-21
  • Santa Clara Women’s Soccer
  • BYU Women’s Cross Country (Team)
  • Conner Mantz, BYU Men’s Cross Country (Individual)
 
WCC MEN’S GOLF HISTORY
  • Three WCC teams – Pepperdine, San Diego and San Francisco – advanced to NCAA Nationals – the most in conference history
  • All three WCC programs selected for 2021 NCAA Regionals advanced to Nationals
    • No. 25 San Francisco finished second in the Cle Elum Regional at 4-under
    • No. 7 Pepperdine finished fourth in the Cle Elum Regional at 1-under
    • San Diego finished fifth at the Albuquerque Regional at 12-under
  • Pepperdine made its 11th NCAA Nationals appearance and third since 2017
  • San Diego made its fourth overall and first since 2011
  • San Francisco made its NCAA Nationals debut
  • The Waves own the lone NCAA Championship in WCC history, winning it all in 1997
  • BYU won the 1981 NCAA Championship before joining the WCC and has made two Nationals appearances (2018-19) as a Conference member
  • NOTABLE: Pepperdine’s Danielle Kang, a two-time All-WCC Women’s Golf Team selection (2010-11) is currently ranked No 6 in the LPGA standings entering the US Women’s Open
 
THE LAST TIME… WCC NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION
  • A WCC team won an NCAA Championship – Santa Clara Women’s Soccer, 2020-21
  • A WCC individual won an NCAA Championship – Conner Mantz, 2020 – NCAA Champion, Men’s Cross Country (BYU)
  • A WCC men’s team won an NCAA Championship – BYU Men’s Cross Country, 2019
  • A WCC men’s team won a spring NCAA Team Championship – Pepperdine Men’s Tennis, 2006
  • A WCC men’s golf program won an NCAA Championship – Pepperdine, 1997