Photo Provided West Liberty University golfer Adam Gill, right, stands with head coach Eric Sievertson after Gill qualified for the NCAA Division II National Championships, starting Monday at Boulder Creek Golf Club in Boulder City, Nev. Gill is one of eight individuals seeking a national title.

EDITORS NOTE: This is the second in a two-part series about local participation in the NCAA Division II National men’s golf tournament in Boulder City, Nev., from May 18-22. Today’s story is about West Liberty’s Adam Gill, a Linsly alum, who is one of eight individual qualifiers.

WEST LIBERTY – Adam Gill may have just finished up his freshman year at West Liberty University academically, but his athletic career will continue into next week.

The sophomore-to-be recently became the second-ever West Liberty golfer to earn a berth in the NCAA Division II National Championships when he placed second during the Atlantic/East Regional at Sunnehanna Country Club in Johnstown, Pa.

“I’m super pumped. It’s a great opportunity. I’m thankful for it and I’m ready to go and represent West Liberty,” he said in a recent interview. “Classes finished up last week, so it’s all golf from here on.”

With his regional performance of plus-3 (73-67-73), he punched his ticket to Boulder Creek Golf Club in Boulder City, Nev., the site of the NCAA D-II nationals from May 18-20. He joined Mike Hicks (2005) to play in the nationals. West Liberty transitioned from NAIA to NCAA in 1991 in golf.

“No idea. It’s a desert course,” he said when asked if he had any knowledge of the course. “It’s going to be 100 degrees and I’m excited to see what the terrain is out there.”

Gill, a Linsly graduate, won back-to-back OVAC individual golf championships his sophomore and junior seasons. He has also done quite well over the summer in various events.

The top two golfers from each regional not on a qualifying team make up the final 8. They will play a stroke format.

“I’m still trying to soak everything in. I’m thankful to God and super excited to be one of eight golfers left standing,” he added. “I wouldn’t say I am surprised to be where I’m at as a freshman. I’ve always known that if I play my best, I can compete with really anybody. I’m just grateful for the opportunity.”

Gill was just hanging around the Sunnehanna Country Club when he found out he had qualified.

“I finished up my round and went to dinner with my teammates. We then returned to the course to watch the rest of the field finish,” he recalled. “As the last group was coming in, I found out that my score was going to make it through. That’s how it happened. It was surreal … a great moment to realize that I was going to (Las) Vegas to play some golf and see what I can do.

Gill and his entourage, which includes West Liberty golf coach Eric Seivertson and Gill’s parents, Ron and Gretchen, will leave Saturday. He will play a practice round on the course Sunday before starting his drive for a national championship on Monday.

“They’ve been a huge part of my success. They have sacrificed so much for me,” he said of his parents.