LOWELL, MA (Apr. 25, 2008) – UMass Lowell, in its fourth full season after a seven-year hiatus, was named the No. 6 seed in the NCAA Division II Golf Championship East/Northeast Super Regional, the NCAA announced Friday afternoon.

The Super Regional, slated for Monday, May 5 through Wednesday, May 7, will be hosted by Wilmington (DE) University at St. Anne’s Golf Club’s Back Creek Course in Middletown, DE.

“We brought forward a corps of good players from last year as well as some key transfers and some good freshmen,” said UML Head Coach Gary Mucica. “And that is what has made us successful. Our whole lineup is capable of putting up very good numbers.”

UML’s inclusion in the NCAAs follows two straight years of individual qualifying. Former standout Chris Menne qualified in both 2006 and 2007 super regionals.

The top teams from each regional and top individual players not affiliated with the winning teams will advance to the Division II Spring National Championships Festival in Houston, TX. The championship will be hosted by Rice University and played at the Memorial Park Golf Club in Houston.

“What is important is what your three, four and five players shoot, not so much what your top one or two players shoot,” Mucica explained. “Right now, we’ve got probably eight or nine players that are interchangeable. Secondly, Anthony Gallardo (Methuen, MA) has come in and took over the spot of Chris Menne, who was our No. 1 guy for two years.”

Gallardo, who transferred to UML after two years at Iona, emerged as UML’s catalyst in the fall with a team-low average of 75.36 over seven tournaments and 14 rounds. He has maintained his stroke in the spring with an average of 76.09, shooting in the 70s in all but two rounds.

Freshman Andrew Albrecht (Georgetown, ONT) finished the fall with a 79.67 and currently has a 79.82 clip for the spring while junior Robbie Douglas (Downey, CA) shot a 77.17 for the fall and an 81.67 this spring.

UML will leave Saturday and play a practice round Sunday at St. Anne’s.

Adelphi received the No. 1 seed and was followed by No. 2 Bryant, No. 3 Post University (CT), No. 4 Pace and No. 5 St. Thomas Aquinas. Wilmington received the No. 7 seed while Bentley, the defending Northeast-10 Conference champion, is seeded No. 8.

“We’re not going to be the favorites, but we can beat everyone in the tournament, and have beaten everyone in the tournament,” Mucica added. “The hottest team is probably Post University, who has won its last three tournaments. But we’ve beaten them five of the eight times we’ve played them.

“Any team can win this,” Mucica added. “It all depends on who is the hottest team.”