Michigan's run through the NCAA men's golf tournament continued Friday as the Wolverines reached the Division I semifinals, but Texas A&M ended their championship hopes, topping U-M, 3-1-1.

Though the season ended one step before today's two-team match play final at Inverness Club in Toledo, the finish was the best by U-M in nearly 60 years.

"A lot of people didn't give us a chance as the 29th seed coming in, and we finished tied for third in country," senior Nick Pumford said. "It'll leave a sour taste in the mouth, but when we look back, what an incredible experience! It came down to the last matches, but unfortunately, we didn't pull it out."

U-M pushed it to the final hole with Bill Rankin and Matt Thompson, the final two matches of the day. When Rankin lost the 18th hole, Michigan was done. The Thompson match was abandoned, ending up halved.

The Wolverines got their lone semifinal victory from Pumford, who won, 2-up. But Lion Kim lost, 4 and 3, Alexander Sitompul fell, 8 and 7, and Rankin lost, 1 down.

The Wolverines entered match play as the No. 6 seed of the eight teams, but they upset Southern Cal in the morning quarterfinals, winning three of five matches.

U-M has reached the NCAA finals one time in the past 40 years and had not finished in the top 10 since 1952.

"I can appreciate it, big-time," Pumford said. "The Michigan golf program the past 60 years hasn't been on the radar, and coming in my freshman year there were no expectations. They especially weren't to get to the national championship, let alone reach the semifinals. It's unreal."

A&M will play Arkansas for the title today.

By Mark Snyder

Baseball: Madonna University signed left-hander Brett Gossett of Farmington Hills and Novi Detroit Catholic Central.

Basketball: Detroit Mercy women's coach Autumn Rademacher announced the signing of NJCAA Division II All-America Tayler Langham. A guard from Plymouth Salem, she played the past two years at Schoolcraft College. ... Madonna University signed Shantelle Herring of Macomb Dakota.

Soccer: Western Michigan signed defender Tom Cole of Ann Arbor Pioneer, forward Kai Mendes of Rockford, goalkeeper Mike Sweers of East Kentwood, and defender/midfielder Yilson Asani and defender Kyle Mattson, both of Saline.

Free Press staff contributed.