TUSCALOOSA | For the second straight year, the University of Alabama men’s golf team is a No. 1 seed in one of the three NCAA regionals that will take place May 15-17.

But, despite being the nation’s No. 1 ranked team in both the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings and the Golf World/Nike Coaches’ poll and winning six of its 10 tournaments this season, Alabama is not the top seed overall. That distinction has gone to Georgia, the top seed in the NCAA East Regional in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Bulldogs were the top overall seed in 2007 as well. Southern California is the No. 2 seed overall and the top seed in the West Regional in Bremerton, Washington.

Alabama is the third seed overall and the No. 1 seed in the Central Regional which will be played at The Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio.

“I’m a little surprised,” said Alabama coach Jay Seawell, whose team won the Southeastern Conference championship and leads the country in team tournament wins this season. “I thought we would be the one seed in the East, but we are the one seed in the Central. That’s where the committee put us, so we’ll get on a jet and get to Columbus, Ohio, next week.”

Each of the three NCAA regionals includes a field of 27 teams and six individuals. The top 10 teams and two individuals advance to the NCAA team finals, hosted by Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind., May 28-31. The final field includes 30 teams and six individuals.

Last year Alabama finished second in the Central Regional and finished sixth at the team finals.

In 2007 Alabama was sent to the Central Regional as its top seed and the second overall seed.

Joining Alabama in the Central Regional will be Florida (No. 4 seed), Tennessee (5) and Arkansas (14).

“It looks like a mini-SEC’s there in the top 10,” said Seawell. “I know that Florida and Tennessee are in there in the top 10 with us. So it looks like a great regional. The top 10 teams that I saw are very, very good. At a glance they’re all [each regional] difficult, but it looks like we have a difficult chore ahead of us. But it’s the NCAA’s, so you expect nothing else.”

SEC Golfer of the Year and 2008 Masters participant Michael Thompson said he and his teammates are disappointed they will not be able to play closer to home at the East Regional which is within three hours of Tuscaloosa, but says he and his teammates will go into the Central Regional with the same intent they would have gone into the East — to win one of those top 10 spots to advance to the finals where they can compete for a national championship.

“I guess the good thing is we’re going to a regional and we’re a No. 1 seed,” said Thompson who finished tied for fourth at the NCAA finals in 2007, “but it’s just hard to believe that we didn’t get number one overall. But it happened. So we’ll look forward to going to Columbus. I’ve never been to Columbus, so it’ll be a fun trip.”

It is the 12th time Alabama has qualified for NCAA regional play since 1991 and the fourth year in a row. Jay Seawell has now advanced Alabama to postseason play in five of the six seasons he has been Alabama’s head coach.