Bryan, Texas - The Nebraska women's golf team clinched their third trip in school history to the NCAA Championships by firing 311 in the final round to finish eighth at the NCAA Central Regional at the Traditions Club on Saturday afternoon.
The Huskers, who secured their first trip to the NCAA Championships since 2003, finished the tournament with a 58-over par 922 (313-298-311). Though the Huskers were the 15th seed heading into the 21-team tournament, Nebraska entered the final round in fourth place after producing the best round on the second day of the tournament on Friday with a sizzling 298.
Nebraska's 311 on Saturday was good enough to produce a five-stroke cushion ahead of ninth place Michigan State, as the top eighth teams in the Central Regional advanced to the NCAA Championships at the Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio, May 23-26.
"We're very excited and honored to be heading to the NCAA Championships," Nebraska Coach Robin Krapfl said. "It's a great reward for all the hard work the girls have put in, and I'm really proud of their efforts. We came here determined and played three solid rounds of golf."
After letting No. 1 Duke slip into the lead following the second round, USC came back to claim the tournament title with 19-over par 883, while Duke finished second with 885. Pepperdine (903), Florida (910), and Oklahoma State (916) rounded out the top five, while Big 12 champion Texas A&M finished in a tie for sixth with Kent State at 919.
Senior Stephanie Ruiz led the Huskers by finishing in a tie for 21st with a 228 after shooting a two-over-par 74 in the final round. Krapfl said the Edmond, Okla., native showed the same leadership she has given the Huskers consistently through the season.
"Stephanie is our leader and she really stepped up for us today," Krapfl said. "She played solid golf when she needed to and has led our team to the championships."
Sophomore Allison Stewart, who gave the Huskers a boost in the second round by firing a career-low 70 on Friday, finished in a tie for 31st with 230 (79-70-81), while junior Chrissie McArdle tied for 35th with 231 (77-75-79).
Sophomore Elli Brown shot 233 (79-77-77) to tie for 49th, and senior Sara Sackett finished with 240 (80-77-83) to tie for 71st.
The NCAA Championships will be held at the Scartlet Course in Columbus, Ohio, May 23-26. The 24-team tournament will feature eight teams who qualified from each of the Central, East and West regions.
Team Leader Board Course:Traditions Golf Club: Championship Tees Par 72 - 6289 yardscurrent
position team scoring rounds total
score to par thru today 1 2 3 1 Southern California +19 F -2 293 304 286 883 2 Duke +21 F +3 294 300 291 885 3 Pepperdine +39 F +8 303 304 296 903 4 Florida +46 F +9 301 312 297 910 5 Oklahoma State +52 F +3 314 311 291 916 T6 Texas A&M University +55 F +7 318 306 295 919 T6 Kent State +55 F +11 309 311 299 919 8 Nebraska, U. of +58 F +23 313 298 311 922 The top 8 teams advance to the Finals
(Ties will be resolved) 9 Michigan State +63 F +22 306 311 310 927 10 Northwestern Univ. +65 F +25 308 308 313 929 11 Texas +67 F +22 311 310 310 931 12 Southern Methodist +70 F +11 316 319 299 934 13 Tulsa +73 F +20 319 310 308 937 14 Baylor +74 F +22 318 310 310 938 15 Missouri, U. of +77 F +13 320 320 301 941 16 Ohio State +81 F +23 309 325 311 945 T17 TCU +86 F +30 319 313 318 950 T17 Birmingham-Southern Col. +86 F +23 327 312 311 950 19 Jacksonville St. +115 F +35 335 321 323 979 20 Jackson State Univ. +161 F +49 343 345 337 1025 21 St. Francis Univ.-PA +203 F +63 355 361 351 1067 Player Leader Board * player is participating as an individual rather than as a team member. Course:Traditions Golf Club: Championship Tees Par 72 - 6289 yards
position player team scoring rounds total
score current start to par thru today 1 2 3
1 T1 Irene Cho Southern California -2 F -3 71 74 69 214 2 T1 Amanda Blumenherst Duke +2 F +1 70 75 73 218 3 3 Elizabeth Janangelo Duke +5 F +3 77 69 75 221 T4 T14 Tara Delaney Kent State +6 F -1 74 77 71 222 T4 T7 Jennifer Pandolfi Duke +6 F +2 71 77 74 222 T6 T7 Devan Andersen Texas +7 F +3 70 78 75 223 T6 T11 Catalina Marin Southern California +7 F +1 77 73 73 223 T6 T19 Dewi Schreefel Southern California +7 F -1 73 79 71 223 T9 T4 Leanne Bowditch Pepperdine +8 F +5 75 72 77 224 T9 T4 Ashley Knoll (10) Texas A&M University +8 F +5 74 73 77 224 T9 T14 Paola Moreno Southern California +8 F +1 73 78 73 224 T9 T19 Eileen Vargas Pepperdine +8 F E 77 75 72 224 T13 T19 Julia Best Texas +9 F +1 76 76 73 225 T13 T11 Whitney Myers (10) Florida +9 F +3 73 77 75 225 T15 T35 Sandra Gal (10) Florida +10 F -1 76 79 71 226 T15 T19 Karin Kinnerud (10) Oklahoma State +10 F +2 74 78 74 226 T15 T29 Carolina Llano Pepperdine +10 F E 76 78 72 226 T15 T4 Samantha Richdale (10) * Illinois State Univ. +10 F +7 71 76 79 226 T19 T9 Sara Brown Michigan State +11 F +6 74 75 78 227 T19 T53 Anna Grzebien Duke +11 F -3 79 79 69 227 T21 T29 Leisl Hasbrouck Tulsa +12 F +2 78 76 74 228 T21 T11 Jennifer Hong (10) Northwestern Univ. +12 F +6 75 75 78 228 T21 T14 Alice Kim (10) Northwestern Univ. +12 F +5 73 78 77 228 T21 T29 Stephanie Ruiz (10) Nebraska, U. of +12 F +2 78 76 74 228 T21 T29 Becky Wood Kent State +12 F +2 77 77 74 228 T26 T35 Jennifer Ackerson (10) Southern Methodist +13 F +2 77 78 74 229 T26 T14 Stephanie Connelly Ohio State +13 F +6 71 80 78 229 T26 T29 Amanda Costner (10) * Kansas, U. of +13 F +3 78 76 75 229 T26 T14 Ornella Jouven (10) Florida +13 F +6 76 75 78 229 T26 T45 Stephanie Wavro (10) Missouri, U. of +13 F E 82 75 72 229 T31 T19 Dayna Burleigh Michigan State +14 F +6 74 78 78 230 T31 T35 Marina Choi Pepperdine +14 F +3 76 79 75 230 T31 T42 Ellen Hoeper (10) Missouri, U. of +14 F +2 73 83 74 230 T31 T9 Allison Stewart (10) Nebraska, U. of +14 F +9 79 70 81 230 T35 T19 Camille Blackerby TCU +15 F +7 78 74 79 231 T35 T35 Cas Bridge Tulsa +15 F +4 77 78 76 231 T35 T53 Tiffany Chudy (10) Florida +15 F +1 76 82 73 231 T35 T42 Jennie Lee Duke +15 F +3 76 80 75 231 T35 T45 Pernilla Lindberg (10) Oklahoma State +15 F +2 81 76 74 231 T35 T19 Chrissie McArdle (10) Nebraska, U. of +15 F +7 77 75 79 231 T35 T60 Kate Meyer (10) Texas A&M University +15 F E 82 77 72 231 T35 T35 Jill Stupiansky (10) Birmingham-Southern Col. +15 F +4 79 76 76 231 T35 T60 Mallorie Underwood (10) Oklahoma State +15 F E 82 77 72 231 T44 T35 Jayvie Agojo Pepperdine +16 F +5 76 79 77 232 T44 67 Candie Herrera (10) Oklahoma State +16 F -1 81 80 71 232 T44 T53 Lauren Johnson (10) Texas A&M University +16 F +2 79 79 74 232 T44 T45 Holly Niederkohr Michigan State +16 F +3 79 78 75 232 T44 T26 Anna Rehnholm (10) Baylor +16 F +7 74 79 79 232 T49 T42 Elli Brown (10) Nebraska, U. of +17 F +5 79 77 77 233 T49 T60 Laura Cross (10) Southern Methodist +17 F +2 79 80 74 233 T49 T26 Emily Klein (10) Birmingham-Southern Col. +17 F +8 78 75 80 233 T52 T45 Veronica Felibert Southern California +18 F +5 76 81 77 234 T52 T53 Dana Je Ohio State +18 F +4 79 79 76 234 T52 T53 Amanda Johnson (10) Oklahoma State +18 F +4 78 80 76 234 T55 T45 Elin Emanuelsson TCU +19 F +6 77 80 78 235 T55 T45 Allison Martin (10) Baylor +19 F +6 84 73 78 235 T55 T68 Christa Spedding (10) Texas A&M University +19 F +1 85 77 73 235 T58 T68 Kate Ackerson (10) Southern Methodist +20 F +2 79 83 74 236 T58 T29 Mercedes Huarte Jacksonville St. +20 F +10 81 73 82 236 T58 T60 Lacey Jones (10) Southern Methodist +20 F +5 81 78 77 236 T58 T35 Kelley Louth Texas +20 F +9 80 75 81 236 T58 T53 Catherine Matranga TCU +20 F +6 80 78 78 236 T58 T26 Kira Meixner Kent State +20 F +11 76 77 83 236 T64 T45 Brittany Johnston (10) Northwestern Univ. +22 F +9 79 78 81 238 T64 T68 Meredith Jones (10) Baylor +22 F +4 85 77 76 238 T66 T64 Lauren Dodge (10) Birmingham-Southern Col. +23 F +7 83 77 79 239 T66 T68 Kirby Dreher Kent State +23 F +5 82 80 77 239 T66 T64 Rachel Meikle Michigan State +23 F +7 79 81 79 239 T66 T75 Brenda Norris (10) Texas A&M University +23 F +4 83 80 76 239 T66 T68 Heather Scholten (10) Northwestern Univ. +23 F +5 81 81 77 239 T71 T45 Sara Sackett (10) Nebraska, U. of +24 F +11 80 77 83 240 T71 T68 Amy Schmucker (10) * Michigan +24 F +6 80 82 78 240 T71 T53 Jennifer Selfinger Ohio State +24 F +10 77 81 82 240 T74 T75 Michaela Cavener Tulsa +25 F +6 89 74 78 241 T74 T68 Sherry Summers (10) Baylor +25 F +7 81 81 79 241 T76 T78 Shasta Averyhardt Jackson State Univ. +26 F +6 85 79 78 242 T76 T78 Mallory Blackwelder (10) Florida +26 F +6 83 81 78 242 T76 T82 Kelli Strubinger (10) Missouri, U. of +26 F +5 84 81 77 242 T79 T78 Maddie Augustsson (10) Missouri, U. of +27 F +7 81 83 79 243 T79 T78 Heather Rose Michigan State +27 F +7 84 80 79 243 T79 T82 Chelsea Schriewer (10) Missouri, U. of +27 F +6 84 81 78 243 T82 94 Shanelle Howell Jacksonville St. +28 F +3 85 84 75 244 T82 T64 Katie Trachok (10) Northwestern Univ. +28 F +12 83 77 84 244 84 T88 Josefin Svenningsson (10) Baylor +29 F +5 79 89 77 245 T85 95 Carling Coffing Ohio State +30 F +4 82 88 76 246 T85 T75 Danielle Roseberry Tulsa +30 F +11 81 82 83 246 T85 85 Polly Travica Tulsa +30 F +8 83 83 80 246 88 T88 Kristina Rothengatter (10) Southern Methodist +31 F +7 83 85 79 247 T89 T86 Caney Hines Texas +32 F +9 86 81 81 248 T89 T98 Alyson Mitchell (10) Birmingham-Southern Col. +32 F +4 87 85 76 248 T89 T86 Gemma Webster Ohio State +32 F +9 82 85 81 248 92 T98 Karen Delaney Kent State +33 F +5 87 85 77 249 T93 T88 Samantha Milosh St. Francis Univ.-PA +34 F +10 83 85 82 250 T93 T82 Carrie Morris TCU +34 F +13 84 81 85 250 95 T88 Alexandra Espinosa Jacksonville St. +36 F +12 84 84 84 252 T96 T100 Louise Fleming Jacksonville St. +39 F +10 85 88 82 255 T96 T88 Brittany Givilancz Texas +39 F +15 85 83 87 255 T96 T100 Jordan Hardy (10) Birmingham-Southern Col. +39 F +10 89 84 82 255 T99 T88 Portia Abbott Jacksonville St. +40 F +16 88 80 88 256 T99 T96 Joi Hart Jackson State Univ. +40 F +13 86 85 85 256 T99 T96 Mirielle LaBlanc Jackson State Univ. +40 F +13 86 85 85 256 102 103 Megan Schaeffer St. Francis Univ.-PA +49 F +13 88 92 85 265 103 102 Mary Kate Williams St. Francis Univ.-PA +51 F +17 90 88 89 267 104 104 Nikeya Peay Jackson State Univ. +55 F +17 86 96 89 271 105 105 Stephanie Switzer St. Francis Univ.-PA +69 F +23 94 96 95 285 - - Stacey Bieber TCU - F +11 84 D 83 -