Final Results
Photo Gallery - Final Round

ALLENDALE, Mich. – The St. Edward's men's golf team would not go quietly as they shot  292 and pushed the eight qualifying teams to the limit. The Hilltoppers would end up in 11^th place on the final day of the 2014 NCAA DII Men's Golf Championship at The Meadows Golf Club. St. Edward's tied for the fourth lowest round of the day and were only four shots "out of the money". DILLON VAN ESSEN led the way for the Hilltoppers as the freshman finished tied for fifth place.
 
St. Edward's (310-297-292=899) started slow by shooting an eight-over par on its first nine holes as a team. Starting on the back nine on Thursday, the Hilltoppers rallied down the stretch, shooting even par on the front nine coming in. The Hilltoppers could only sit and watch the final five groups finish up. Needing three teams to drop a handful of shots, luck ran out, as the Hilltoppers stayed in 11^th place.
 
"We needed a good round today and just had a few hang-ups," head coach Todd Ohlmeyer said. "The guys wished they were playing tomorrow, but they gave it there all and left it out on the course. I am very proud of the fight these guys showed today. Getting back to the national tournament is very encouraging for the program."
 
Van Essen started his round off with a birdie on the 10^th hole. A bogey on hole 13 dropped him back to even par, but he would par the next five holes to make the turn all level. On the front nine, Van Essen ran into some bad luck on hole two. He would put his second shot into the water hazard and make double bogey. The freshman responded with birdies at holes four and six to get back to even par. A bogey on eight, gave him his final score of 72 (+1). He would finish in the top-five, which tied the best-ever Hilltopper finish at a National Tournament in school history. Hilltopper Hall of Famer Blake Slaughter also finished tied for fifth at the 2005 National Championship.
 
"Dillon was the reason we were in the tournament this week," Ohlmeyer said. "He made some very clutch putts. It is great that we still have him for another three years. He will continue to grow and get better."
 
BRIAN SMITH, who was playing in his final collegiate round, started off with bogeys on two of his first four holes. After two bogeys and two birdies through the middle of his round, Smith sat at two-over par through 12 holes. The senior had a finish to remember. He would birdie hole four and six, along with a birdie on his final hole to finish with a one-under par 70. He finished tied for 38th place.
 
"I was not real pleased with my first two rounds, but it was nice to finish strong," Smith said. "Making it to the national tournament was one of our goals to start the season, and to be able to accomplish that goal was great. There is a lot that we can take away from this experience."
 
ENRIQUE LIVAS had a rough start to his final collegiate round. He would play his first four holes at three-over par. He rebounded with a birdie on 14 and 17 to make the turn at one-over par. A double-bogey on hole one put him at three-over par. On the par-5 fourth hole, Livas was on the green in two. He would drain the 10 footer for eagle, and get back to one-over par. He bogeyed hole seven and finished with a two-over par 73. He tied for 71st place.
 
ANDRES RODAS played the first nine holes at six-over par. On the front nine, Rodas had birdies at holes four and six to equalize his two bogeys and shoot even par on the last nine. He would finish tied for 78th place.
 
"I realized we had a chance to advance if we could turn it around on the front nine," Rodas said. "The pressure was off and I played more relaxed and focused coming in."
 
JOSE HERNANDEZ also sat at six-over par for his first nine holes, but could not get it turned around on the front nine. Hernandez did cap off his round with a birdie on the ninth hole to shoot a 79. He finished tied for 92nd place.
 
St. Edward's ended its season 11^th in the country. Over the course of the season, the Hilltoppers were Heartland Conference Champions, NCAA Super Regional Champions and won six tournaments. The six victories were the most for the Hilltoppers in one season. The 2007-08 team had five victories, but also finished tied for first in the National Championship. They lost in a three-way playoff for the title.