MUSKOGEE, Okla. — Arkansas Tech qualified for their fifth national championship in six years Tuesday as they took second place at the NCAA Central Region Championships. The Suns carded a total of 897 (+45).

The Suns led the field after the first two rounds, but Southwestern Oklahoma came from behind using tournament-best second and third rounds to take first place with their total card of 893 (+41).

Peerada Piddon, the Great American Conference Women's Golfer of the Year, won the individual title with her total card of 216 (+3). She had the only two under-par rounds in the tournament. This is her second tournament win of the season.

Meanwhile, Jacqueline Klemm, the GAC Freshman of the Year, improved by one stroke in each round and notched a total of 222 (+9), finishing in fourth place.

Pia Nunbhakdi also landed within the top ten, carding a total of 228 (+15) and tying with two others for ninth place.

Sydney Staton (233, +20,T19) and Allie Weiner (238, +25, T37) rounded out the Suns' card.

Both Tech and Southwestern Oklahoma will advance to the national championship, along with third-place Northeastern State and fourth-place Central Missouri. Northeastern State carded a 913 (+61).

The field dropped off slightly after the first three places, leaving two teams battling for the final qualifying spot. Minnesota State and Central Missouri were still tied at 931 (+79) after 54 holes, and Central Missouri prevailed in a three-hole playoff to qualify.

At last year's Central Region Championships, Arkansas Tech advanced to the national championships with their third-place finish, carding a total of 902. The Suns entered last year's national championships ranked at No. 24 in the nation, according to GolfStat. This year's team is currently ranked No. 9 in the nation.

The national championship is May 14-18 at the PGA National Resort and Spa in West Palm Beach, Fla.

FINAL TEAM RESULTS

POSITION____TEAM_______________1_____2_____3______TOTAL__+/-

1____________SW Oklahoma______305___291___297____893____+41

2____________Arkansas Tech_____299___294___304____897____+45

3____________Northeastern State_302___304___307____913____+61

T4___________Central Missouri*__312___311___308____931____+79

T4___________Minnesota State____317___310___304____931____+79

6____________Central Oklahoma__312___314___309____935____+83

7____________Henderson State____318___308___311____937____+85

8____________Lindenwood________310___317___314____941____+89

9____________Southern Nazarene__320__309___313____942____+90

10___________Nebraska-Kearney__318___312___326____956____+104

11___________Missouri Western___320___319___319____958____+106

12___________Oklahoma Baptist___321___321___322___964____+112

*advanced on a three-hole playoff

FINAL INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

POS.......PLAYER...................SCHOOL.................1.......2........3........TOTAL.....+/-

1...........Peerada Piddon.......Arkansas Tech.......70.....70......76......216.........+3

T2.........Gloria Choi.............SW Oklahoma.........73.....72......73......218.........+5

T2.........Shi Qing Ong..........Missouri Western....75.....71......72......218.........+5

4...........Jacqueline Klemm..Arkansas Tech.........75.....74......73......222.........+9

T9.........Pia Nunbhakdi........Arkansas Tech........75.....74......79......228.........+15

T19.......Sydney Staton........Arkansas Tech.........79.....78......76......233.........+20

T37.......Allie Weiner............Arkansas Tech........80.....76......82......238.........+25