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URBANA — Turns out, Illinois can throw a successful golf party.

My question: When’s the next one?

First-time host Atkins Golf Club proved more than worthy of handling an NCAA men’s regional this week when 13 teams made their way to Champaign-Urbana and seemed to enjoy the experience.

The crowds were bigger than anticipated. The weather was — mostly — ideal. And the golfers held their own against a hulked-out course.

Illinois and Oklahoma State shared the team title and advance to the NCAA championship, which start late next week in Carlsbad, Calif. UNLV, Troy and Texas Tech also move on while 10th-ranked North Carolina struggled all week and won’t be joining them in California.

No question, playing a regional at home for the first time was a big advantage for Mike Small’s team. How do I know? They said so. Over and over and over again.

They all pointed to the crowds.

“Really, really cool,” Illinois sophomore Max Herendeen said. “This is why you come to Illinois, weeks like this. We have the best fan base in America without a doubt. Seeing everybody out here this week proves that. Really special.”

On Wednesday, Illinois was paired with Oklahoma State and UNLV. The Cowboys and Rebels noticed the support directed at the home team.

“Guys in our group, they’d hit good shots and you’d get nothing from the crowd, which I kind of love,” Herendeen said. “Anything we did was big applause.”

Knowing the place was an advantage for Illinois. But ...

“The conditions were different than what we normally see on a day-to-day basis,” Herendeen said. “This is a championship test and (the NCAA officials) set it up that way. It was rolling that way.”

Illinois junior Ryan Voois, who finished tied for second individually, said the players wondered about the size of the crowds going into the week.

“We didn’t really have a gauge because we’ve hosted spring events and the weather’s always been awful,” Voois said. “(C-U) this time of year is a golf town. People around town know who we are. Out on the golf course, it was nice to have all that support.”

The fans don’t hit the shots. Or keep a ball from plugging in a bunker. That’s up to the players.

“You’ve got to treat it the right way,” Voois said. “You’ve got to know that everybody’s pulling for you and wants you to do well. It’s not an added pressure thing.”

Back in the day

The regional had the same feel as when Illinois hosted NCAA baseball tournaments in 2015 (wow, has it really been 10 years since Dan Hartleb’s 50-win season? Time flies).

Like with baseball, Illinois fans got behind golf. They showed up in droves, with the largest crowd arriving on Wednesday. The parking lot at Atkins was jammed and the overflow field overfilled. So cars parked on the streets.

Smart of the NCAA to make the regional a free event, though it could have pocketed some coin this week. Wise that Illinois didn’t charge for parking (I paid $60 at the NCAA basketball tournament in Raleigh, N.C. So rude).

Illinois made up for any lost revenue with a combination of food and drink sales (it got a little toasty Wednesday) and the positive word-of-mouth reviews. Literally nothing for folks to complain about. Remember, it was free.

Coach speak

What was Small’s take on the tournament?

“I thought it was awesome,” he said. “Every coach was raving about it. I know we’re here to compete. But when you’re the host coach, you want to put on a good face.”

Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman and his department has a mandate.

“We like to host events, and we do it first class,” Small said. “This didn’t fail.”

Two of the best draws in college golf, Illinois and Oklahoma State, were both at Atkins.

“It’s cool to be a part of that, have these relationships,” Small said.

Plus, it was a chance for him to visit with old friends.

“As a coach, I am in my bubble so much. I spend all my time with 20-year-olds,” Small said. “I pass up a lot of opportunities to hang out with my friends in town. The job is a lifestyle. To see people I haven’t seen for a year or two or six months, to come out and support these guys is pretty cool. I enjoyed seeing old faces once again.”

Voois has one more year of eligibility, so he will likely play a road regional in 2026. But he wants to see the event return to Atkins in the future.

“It was a very good week,” he said. “It’s a good test. It’s a fair test. I’d love to see it back here. I’d love to come back and watch people play it here.”

Bob Asmussen is a college football reporter and columnist for The News-Gazette. He can be reached at 217-393-8248 or .