CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Legend is overused in sports lexicon these days ... but not in the case of Herb Page.

Dynasty is overused in sports lexicon these days ... but not in the case of Page's Kent State men's golf team.

Canadian Page won't say it -- he's too humble -- but he's a legend in charge of a dynasty. The Golden Flashes, in Page's 40 seasons at the helm, have won 23 Mid-American Conference titles, played in 27 NCAA Regionals, and qualified for 17 NCAA Championships.

Nationals No. 17 begin Friday, May 25, in Stillwater, Okla. It will be Kent State's second straight appearance at nationals, and seventh in 11 years.

NCAA Championships 2018 schedule

Division I golf powers in the West and South long ago stopped asking how Kent State joins their party so often. They know that, as long as Page remains coach, the Golden Flashes are a Mid-American Conference team in name only.

Page has an umbrella role as Kent State's director of golf, which means he oversees the women's program. The Kent State women reached the NCAA Championships again this season; they were eliminated by Alabama in match play (final eight).

"We have an outstanding coach, Greg Robertson, in charge of the women's team,'' Page said.

Before heading to nationals, Page spoke with DMan's World by phone:

DW: Can you believe it's been 40 years?

HP: I don't keep track, but it sounds about right. We've worked hard, learned a lot, and had a lot of fun along the way.

DW: What stands out the most?

HP: I've been very blessed with support from boosters and alums, support from the Kent State family, and I've had fabulous players. These young men have passion like I do. They get better. They're champions.

DW: Under your leadership, Kent State golf truly has become a mid-major power --

HP: I've got to be careful here. I'm not going to beat you up on this because I don't know you well enough. But I tell people: Mid-major is a basketball term, and, quite honestly, I hate it. We are a major golf school. That's who we are at Kent State; we've proven it over the past 20, 30 years. We're not a mid-major. We don't play against mid-majors. We play against the best and strive to be the best.

DW: Understood.

HP: Sorry about that. I didn't mean to come off as upset, but we are a major golf school. We've worked very hard over a long period to establish ourselves.

DW: No apologies necessary. I love the passion; it's why you are who you are ... When I say, 'Seven NCAA's in 11 years,' what comes to mind first?

HP: That we, from a program perspective, have been very fortunate. When you have players such as Mackenzie Hughes, Corey Conners, John Hahn, and others such as Ben Curtis before them, you can go on runs like this.

DW: Last year at the NCAAs, Kent State finished 21st in the field of 30. How would you --

HP: We were a little disappointed in that, to be honest.

DW: Your program-best finish is fifth, in 2012. Even as you embrace the challenge that comes with being a major golf program, what is a realistic expectation for Kent State?

HP: Our number of NCAA appearances speaks for itself, but our players know that we don't aspire just to get there. We want to play well. We want to get into the top eight for match play. Top eight, at least, is doable. It's difficult but doable.

DW: How would you compare this season's team to last season's?

HP: This year, we've obviously got more experience at the national level. It should only help us. We're ready. These guys are focused and hungry.

DW: Your top two players in 2017-18 happen to be local: senior Ian Holt, Stow-Munroe Falls, and senior Chase Johnson, Walsh Jesuit. Describe them.

HP: A dream to coach. Tremendous players and individuals. They've been best friends since 13, 14, 15 years old. How lucky were we to get both? They continued to get better and better, and they graduated recently, with G.P.A.'s in the mid-3.00's. We needed both to come up big in regionals, and they did. They were clutch at the end of the final day. No surprise.

Ian committed to us during his junior year in high school. He was highly recruited, and he wanted to play at Kent State. He's extremely long off the tee thanks to tremendous club-head speed. He will play on PGA Tour Canada after he's done with us.

Chase has incredible hands. He has a great short game and putter. He will stay amateur this summer and turn pro in the fall.

DW: It is impressive that Kent State's two local stars are supplemented by, among others, two Icelanders: juniors Bjarki Petursson and Gisli Sveinbergsson.

HP: (Chuckle) An eclectic mix, which is typical of my teams -- although it's often local guys and Canadian guys.