The Loop
Conference championship previews, Part IV
__MEN
__[#image: /photos/55ad7123b01eefe207f67b0e]|||Horizon men's championship logo 2009.jpg|||
__[Horizon League Championship
](http://www.horizonleague.org/sports/c-golf/spec-rel/09-hori-c-golf-champ.html)__ (For live scoring, click here for Golfstat)
Kearney Hills GL
Lexington, Ky.
April 27-28
Field: Butler, Cleveland State, Detroit Mercy, Loyola (Ill.), Wisconsin-Green Bay, Wright State, Youngstown State
Defending champion: Cleveland State (28-over 892) by one stroke over Detroit Mercy; Cleveland State's Jacob Scott (two-under 214) by two strokes over Butler's Kyle Thomas
Skinny: For the past four seasons, Cleveland State and Detroit have traded the league crown back and forth, hinting that this is Detroit Mercy's year to walk off with the title. The Vikings' Jake Scott, however, will keep the title in Ohio and claim medalist honors for himself.
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__[#image: /photos/55ad7123add713143b4227ca]|||MVC men's championship logo 2009.jpg|||
__[Missouri Valley Championship
](http://www.mvc-sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=36529&SPID=2907&DB_OEM_ID=7600&ATCLID=3725660)__ (For live scoring, click here for Golfstat)
Delhousie GC
Cape Girardeau, Mo.
April 27-28
Field: Bradley, Creighton, Drake, Evansville, Illinois State, Missouri State, Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois, Wichita State
Defending champion: Wichita State (two-under 850) by 24 strokes over Southern Illinois; Wichita State's Connor McHenry (five-under 208) by four strokes over Wichita State's Dustin Garza
Skinny: Illinois State is the favorie in the pre-championship poll but don't be shocked to see Wichita State make it eight MVC titles in the last 11 years.
[__Big 12 Championship
__
](http://www.big12sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10410&ATCLID=1524130) (For live scoring, click here for Golfstat)
Prairie Dunes CC
Hutchinson, Kan.
April 27-29
Field: Baylor, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech
Defending champion: Oklahoma State (11-under 1,141) by 20 strokes over Texas; Oklahoma State's Rickie Fowler (nine-under 279) by four strokes over Oklahoma State's Kevin Tway
Skinny: Only five schools have won the title in the conferences 12-year history. Oklahoma State looks likely not to let that change, but Texas A&M isn't a bad dark horse pick should the Cowboys stumble.
__Conference head-to-head records:
__Oklahoma State, 15-1, .937
Kansas State, 10-1, .909
Colorado, 8-2, .800
Texas Tech, 14-7, .667
Texas A&M, 11-7, .611
Texas, 7-7, .500
Baylor, 7-12, .368
Iowa State, 4-9, .307
Kansas, 5-13, .277
Oklahoma, 3-11, .214
Missouri, 1-6, .142
Nebraska, 0-8, .000
[__Ohio Valley Championship
__
](http://www.ovcsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=6200&ATCLID=3726602) (For live scoring, click here for Golfstat)
The Shoals on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail
Muscle Shoals, Ala.
April 27-29__
Field:__ Austin Peay State, Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State, Morehead State, Murray State, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, UT-Martin
Defending champion: Eastern Kentucky (10-over 874) by 19 strokes over Murray State; Murray State's Nick Newcomb (even-par 216) by one stroke over Austin Peay State's Grant Leaver and Eastern Kentucky's Phillip Hendrickson
Skinny: Eastern Kentucky has won two of the past three years and at No. 94 has the best Golfstat ranking of all conference teams
__
](http://www.pac-10.org/championships/2009-m-golf.html) (For live scoring, click here for Golfstat)
Seattle CC
Seattle, Wash.
April 27-29__
Field:__ Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Washington, Washington State
Defending champion: Arizona State (15-over 1,435) in playoff over USC; Arizona's Creighton Honeck (three-under 281) in playoff with UCLA's Kevin Chappell
Skinny: Washington is the hot squad, with three wins this spring and four in 2008-09, plus UW has the advantage of playing near home. If the Huskies win it would be just their third conference title in 21 years.
__Conference head-to-head records:
__USC, 28-6, .823
Stanford, 26-8, .764
Washington, 25-10-1, .708
UCLA, 17-15-1, .530
Arizona State, 13-13-1, .500
Oregon, 13-16, .448
California, 14-19, .424
Arizona, 6-11, .352
Oregon State, 5-21, .192
Washington State, 2-16, .111
__
](http://www.southland.org/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=90050&SPID=10818&temp_site=NO&DB_OEM_ID=18400&ATCLID=3727411) (For live scoring, click here for Golfstat)
Comanche Trace GC
Kerrville, Texas
April 27-29
Field: Central Arkansas, Lamar, McNeese State, Nicholls State, Sam Houston State, Southeastern Louisiana, Stephen F. Austin, State, Texas State, UT-Arlington, UT-San Antonio
Defending champion: Lamar (two-over 866) by 28 strokes over Sam Houston State and Texas State; Sam Houston State's Scott Kelly (one-under 215) in playoff over McNeese State's Sigmundur Masson
Skinny: The rest of the conference is facing a challenge in trying to keep Lamar from claiming fourth straight title. The Cardinals are trying to become just the second team to be Southland champions four straight years (Lamar 10 straight from 1964-73).
[__Summit League Championship
__
](http://www.thesummitleague.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=3900&ATCLID=3705820) (For live scoring, click here for Golfstat)
Oakwood CC
Kansas City, Mo.
April 27-29
Field: Centernary, IPFW, IUPUI, North Dakota State, Oakland, Oral Roberts, South Dakota State, Southern Utah, UM-Kansas City, Western Illinois
Defending champion: Western Illinois (six-over 870) by 10 strokes over UM-Kansas City; Western Illinois' Kyle Peterman (even-par 216) in playoff over Southern Utah's Nate Page
Skinny: South Dakota State, eligible for postseason play for the first time after completing the transition to Division I, could make for the next great Cinderella story with a victory at the conference championship in just the second year in the Summit League. Five tournament wins this season for the Jackrabbits suggest it's a realistic outcome.
[__WAC Championship
__
](http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10100&ATCLID=3726919) (For live scoring, click here for Golfstat)
Rio Secco GC
Henderson, Nev.
April 27-29
Field: Boise State, Fresno State, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana Tech, Nevada, New Mexico State, San Jose State, Utah State
Defending champion: New Mexico State (27-over 891) by five strokes over Boise State; Boise State's Troy Merritt (seven-under 209) by 10 strokes over Fresno State's Grant Doverspike
Skinny: Fresno State (No. 75) and Nevada (78) have better Golfstat rankings than defending champion New Mexico State (90), suggesting a three-team fight.