INDIANAPOLIS – Hawai'i Pacific University's Keita Okada was selected as an individual to participate in the 2021 NCAA Division II Men's Golf West/South Central Regional at The Home Course in DuPont, Wash., May 6-8.
 
Okada is the first HPU golfer ever selected to participate in the NCAA Tournament.
 
Okada, a freshman from Tokyo, Japan/Bradenton, Fla. IMG Academy, won the 2021 PacWest Conference Individual Championship earlier this week at the Waikoloa Beach Golf Course on the Big Island, posting a 54-hole total of 3-under 307.
 
Okada has played his last seven rounds in par or better and currently carries a 72.36 stroke average for his 11 rounds of play this year. He has won his last three tournaments and has scored in the 60s three times this season.
 
Okada was the top individual selected in the West region, with Matt Fry of Dominican selected second in the region and Dustin Franko of Hawai'i Hilo third.
 
The individuals were selected after the top eight teams in the region were designated to play. Sonoma State is the top-seeded team, with Western Washington second, Academy of Art third, Cal State East Bay fourth, host Saint Martin's fifth, Holy Names sixth, Montana State Billings seventh and Northwest Nazarene eighth.
 
Both HPU and UH Hilo were under consideration for selection, but were not chosen as a team.
 
The eight West Region teams and three individuals will join the eight teams and three individuals from the South Central Region at The Home Course, with the top four teams and one individual not a part of those teams advancing to the 2021 NCAA Division II Championships May 17-21 at the PGA National Resort Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.