Olympic sports notes: CU Buffs golfers set for NCAA regional play

Justin Biwer is returning to NCAA regional play.

The junior from the Colorado men’s golf team earned a bid to the NCAA Austin Regional in two weeks. It is Biwer’s second individual regional berth and third overall, as the Buffaloes qualified as a team last year.

CU women’s golfers Sabrina Iqbal and Morgan Miller will compete in the NCAA Cle Elum regional in Cle Elum, Wash., beginning on Monday.

Biwer finished 40th in regional play as a freshman two years ago and placed 16th last year, leading the Buffs to a third-place finish in the team standings to advance to the NCAA championship for the first time in 21 years.

Biwer finished in a tie for 15th at the Pac-12 championship and he leads CU in stroke average (71.38), below-par rounds (18) and top-20 finishes (six).

“For me, the coolest thing about it is it just says I’ve been fortunate enough to make it to regionals all three years,” Biwer said in a release. “It might have just been the luck of the draw this time around, we thought my chances of being selected were 50-50.  My last round at the Pac-12’s probably helped put me in this position, shooting a 68 and jumping from the middle of the field into the top 20 and doing it on that golf course and in the conditions we all faced.

“I’m looking at this as sort of a redemption. I felt I didn’t play well at all as a freshman, and want to build off the success that I’ve had and do my best to represent the team.”

The NCAA Austin Regional begins on May 13 at the University of Texas Golf Club. The top five teams plus the top individual finisher not on those teams advance out of six regionals to the NCAA final, which begins May 24 in Carlsbad, Calif.

Postseason play

For the second consecutive season, the CU women’s tennis team was invited to the NIT championship, which begins on Sunday in Bradenton, Fla.

It is the first time since 1999 the program has received consecutive postseason berths. Last year’s NIT berth marked CU’s first postseason appearance since the 2007 NCAA Tournament. The Buffs join a field also set to include Appalachian State, Liberty, Tulsa, St. Mary’s, Pacific, West Virginia and Wyoming.

The Buffs put together an 11-match win streak during nonconference play before struggling through their final run in the Pac-12. The NIT will be streamed on Amazon Prime, with live coverage available to Prime members at no additional cost.

Notable

The Buffs will host the final Pac-12 outdoor track and field championships beginning on May 10 at the newly-renovated Potts Field. … The Colorado volleyball program announced the signing of three players for the 2024 recruiting class in middle blocker Tatum Johnson, setter/defensive specialist Katie Salonga, and Polish middle blocker Maria Splawska. Johnson is a former club teammate of current Buffs Cayla Payne and Lily Dwinell. …  The CU women’s golf program announced the signing of Irish player Ellen O’Shaughnessy. A native of Dublin, O’Shaughnessy was named Ireland’s U18 golfer of the year in 2023. … CU soccer standouts Shyra James and Rachel Rosen announced they will return for their fifth, extra seasons this fall.