Reno Regional makes Lopes' 3rd consecutive NCAAs stop

Grand Canyon heads to a new place with a familiar feel. While GCU will compete at the Montreux Golf and Country Club in Reno, Nevada, for the first time, the NCAA Reno Regional implications are becoming the norm for head coach Mark Mueller and his squad.

Despite finishing second at the WAC Championship in Payson two weeks ago, the ranking has only gone up over the past few seasons. Low 70s was a program-best ranking in 2023, followed by low 60s in 2024. Now, GCU enters the Reno Regional ranked No. 58, the highest in program history into the Reno Regional that sees five teams advance to the NCAA Championship.

The ranking of 58 gave GCU an at-large bid, a testament to its tough schedule and top finishes throughout the season, which ranged from early September to late April.

The 14 team Regional in Reno will be hosted by Nevada, with tee times beginning on holes one and 10 as early as 9 a.m. GCU will field the same starting five as it did during the WAC Championship, featuring graduate Tommaso Zorzetto, senior Kiko Coelho, sophomore Gavin O'Neill, and freshmen Nixon Lauritzen and Matthew Diehl. The Lopes begin play at 10:20 a.m. on hole 10.

While the Lopes have been in the NCAA Regional before, competing for the first time in 2023 in Morgan Hill, California, and last year in Austin, Texas, this is the first time all five players in the starting lineup were named to the All-WAC postseason team. Diehl, one of the nation's top freshman, was named WAC Freshman of the Year and joined Zorzetto and Lauritzen on the All-WAC First Team. O'Neill and Coelho each garnered second team accolades as the group set a program best for All-WAC award winners in one season.

Eight of the 14 teams in Reno own a nationally ranked top 50 tag via Clippd Scoreboard rankings. The number one team in the field includes No. 4 Texas, followed by top 25 teams No. 9 Virginia, No. 16 Alabama, and No. 21 Duke.

The Lopes last played regular season tournament was the Thunderbird Intercollegiate at Papago, a field that saw seven teams ranked in the top 50. GCU earned fifth, just three shots back of third with a 20 under total.

The Reno Regional field includes No. 4 Texas, No. 9 Virginia, No. 16 Alabama, No. 21 Duke, No. 28 Mississippi State, No. 33 BYU, No. 40 San Diego, No. 45 Santa Clara, Grand Canyon, Fairfield, East Tennessee State, California, Sam Houston, and Central Arkansas.

The top five teams after 54 holes at Montreux G&C automatically advance to the NCAA National Championship in Carlsbad, California, May 23-28.

Live results of the Reno Regional can be found here.

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Players Mentioned

Kiko Coelho

Matthew Diehl

Nixon Lauritzen

Gavin O'Neill

Tommaso Zorzetto

Grand Canyon University Athletics