SPOKANE, Wash. - The wait is nearly over. After three straight Northwest Conference championships, the Whitworth men's golf team is finally getting its opportunity to play in the NCAA Division III Championships next Tuesday through Friday (May 15-18). The Pirates are not only the first team to represent Whitworth at the tournament, they are the first NWC team to participate since the conference became official members of the NCAA in 1998-99.

Three-time NWC Coach of the Year Warren Friedrichs

"The three-year guys are especially keyed up for this trip," said Pirate head coach Warren Friedrichs. "But we all know there is a lot to be done yet."

Whitworth will not only face the challenge of competing against the nation's best at the DIII level, the Pirate players will have to do so while taking final exams, which are scheduled for the same four days as the tournament. Some of the players are taking an exam or two early, prior to Saturday morning's departure. Most will be taken while on the trip.

The tournament is being co-hosted by Anderson University and the Hamilton County (Indiana) Convention and Visitors Bureau. It will take place at both Hawthorns Golf and Country Club (Fishers, Ind.) and Prairie View Golf Club (Carmel, Ind.). Hawthorns G&CC is an 18-hole championship course designed by Arthur Hills. Prairie View GC is a Robert Trent Jones course located on the banks of the White River. The first two rounds will be shared between the courses, and both the final two rounds will be played at Hawthorns.

Whitworth will practice on Sunday at Prairie View and Monday at Hawthorns. The Pirates' first round will be Tuesday at Hawthorns, beginning with an 8:15 a.m. tee time. Whitworth is paired with Monmouth and Penn State-Altoona for the first two rounds. Wednesday's round at Prairie View will begin with an 8:15 a.m. tee time as well.

After the first two rounds, the field will be pared from 35 teams to 23 teams for the final two rounds.

Friedrichs believes his squad is ready for the challenges that lie ahead.

"Its been a busy few weeks (since the NWC tournament)," he said. "The players have been able to take a couple of days off to get caught up, but we've continued to practice regularly. Our lead guys continue to play really well right now."

Whitworth will be led by Jordan Carter (Jr., Redmond, Wash. - Inglemoor), Andrew Parrott (Jr., Scottsdale, Ariz. - Desert Mountain) and Steven Johnson (So., Marysville, Wash. - Marysville-Pilchuck). Johnson was the medalist at the NWC tournament, while Parrott earned All-NWC honors for the third straight season. Carter has been a top player for the Pirates his entire career. Sean Thompson (Jr., Veradale, Wash. - Central Valley) had a strong NWC finish, as did Pat Dorsing (Fr., Royal City, Wash. - Royal City), who just missed All-NWC honors.

Carter, Parrott and Thompson have all been part of Whitworth's three consecutive NWC titles and have worked for this moment throughout their careers.

PIRATE TOURNEY NOTES: Whitworth flies out Saturday morning at 6:15 am. . . Friedrichs, who has won three NWC Men's Golf Coach of the Year awards to go with his four trophies earned as the Pirates men's basketball coach during his tenure, is leading his fourth team to a national championship event. He took three Pirate basketball teams to NAIA tournaments (1991, 1996, 1998) . . . Nebraska Wesleyan is the defending champion. . . Penn State-Altoona earned a spot in the tournament as champion of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference, while Monmouth (Ill.) won the Midwest Conference.

Results will be available at NCAAsports.com and Golfstat.com.

Whitworth Golf Schedule / Results

Whitworth Roster