BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- Alabama State University freshman golfer John Montgomery earned an invitation to the 2009 NCAA golf regional May 14-16 at The Club at Olde Stone. Western Kentucky University will host the tournament.

Montgomery, a native of Whitaker, Pa., earned the invitation by virtue of winning the individual medalist honor at the SWAC Championship in April. With his selection, Montgomery becomes the first ASU golfer to qualify for NCAA postseason play.

A first-team All-SWAC performer, Montgomery carded his career low of 69 in the final round of the SWAC Championship. ASU also has counted Montgomery's score towards the team total in all but one round.

“This is a tremendous honor for John as an individual and for our golf program as a whole,” said ASU head coach Gary Grandison. “One of our goals at the start of the season was to qualify for the NCAA Championship. This selection just demonstrates the type of athletes we have at Alabama State. This will allow us to show that we can compete at the highest level of collegiate competition.”

The Bowling Green regional features an extremely strong field highlighted by top-seed Washington and defending national champion UCLA.

The NCAA Championship consists of six 54-hole regional tournaments with the Top 30 teams and six individuals not on those qualifying teams advancing to the finals, which will be held May 26-30 at the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio.