Huskers Enjoy Record-Setting 2006 Season

The Nebraska women’s golf team put the finishing touches on one of the most successful seasons in school history with the Huskers’ 20th-place finish at the 2006 NCAA Championships on the Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio.

The Huskers, who advanced to the 24-team NCAA Championships for just the third time in school history, ended the 2005-06 campaign with the second-best NCAA finish in the Nebraska record book, trailing only their 19th-place showing in 2000.

Nebraska capped its NCAA Championship performance by firing its finest NCAA Championship-round ever with an 11-over-par 299. Nebraska’s record-setting round, which surpassed its previous top round at the NCAA Championships by three strokes, gave the Huskers another NCAA Championship school mark of 1,221 for the 72-hole tournament.

The previous school record for the top 18-hole effort in the NCAA Championships came with a 302 in the third round of the 2000 NCAA Championships at the Crosswater Golf Club in Sunriver, Ore. The Huskers also sliced 18 strokes off their previous tournament record score, which also came in the 2000 NCAA Championships with a 1,239.

In addition to the record-breaking team scores at the NCAA Championships, the Huskers also received one of the top individual efforts in school history at nationals.

All-Big 12 senior Stephanie Ruiz closed her career with a three-over-par 75 on the final day to finish at 301, matching Elizabeth Bahensky’s 301 at the 2000 NCAA Championships for the best individual tournament score in school history. Ruiz’s 13-over-par 301 (72-76-78-75) put her in a tie for 38th place.

Nebraska started its run to the NCAA Championships with a fourth-place finish at the Big 12 Championships at the Country Club of Lincoln. The Huskers’ strong Big 12 performance helped them earn a spot as the No. 15 seed at the NCAA Central Regional. The Huskers qualified for nationals with an eighth-place showing at the Traditions Club in Bryan, Texas.

Overall, the Huskers closed the season with the best stroke average in school history at 304.88 over 40 rounds, the most rounds ever played by a Nebraska team. The Huskers also claimed two team titles, while also earning nine top-five finishes and 11 top-10 places in the 13 events.

Nebraska Finishes 20th at NCAA Championships
Nebraska fired the best NCAA Championship round in school history with a 299 to close the best four-round NCAA Championship score in the NU record books with a 1,221 (311-305-0306-299) on its way to a 20th-place finish at the NCAA Championships in Columbus, Ohio, May 23-26.

Stephanie Ruiz, a senior from Edmond, Okla., led the Huskers with a 38th-place individual finish by shooting a 301 (72-76-78-75) over 72 holes. Ruiz’s total tied Elizabeth Bahensky’s 301 at the 2000 NCAA Championships for the best individual 72-hole score in school history.

Ruiz’s senior teammate, Sara Sackett, finished strong after struggling in the first two rounds. She closed her Husker career with a 75 in the final round to finish with a 21-over-par 309 (81-77-76-75) and place in a tie for 79th. The Cambridge, Neb., native improved her score each day of the tournament.

Sophomore Elli Brown joined Sackett in a tie for 79th by finishing with a 309 (76-74-77-82), while junior Chrissie McArdle, a native of Eden Prairie, Minn., finished just two strokes behind Sackett and Brown at 311 (82-78-75-76). McArdle placed in a tie for 88th.

The Huskers received contributions from top to bottom in their lineup. After struggling the first two days of the tournament, sophomore Allison Stewart rebounded in a big way on the final day, closing the tournament with a stellar one-over-par 73 to lead the Huskers.

The native of Vermillion, S.D., had two birdies, 13 pars and three bogeys to close the tournament at 38-over-par and finish in a tie for 120th. Stewart, who finished with a 326, was just seven-over-par in the final two rounds.

Huskers Cap Historic Season
The Huskers helped rewrite school history during a record-setting 2005-06 women’s golf campaign.

The 2005-06 squad finished the year with the best stroke average in school history at 304.88. The Huskers also broke the school records for 36-hole team score, 54-hole team score and 72-hole NCAA Championship score.

At the Mountain View Collegiate, March 25-26, the Huskers scored 885 through three rounds to surpass the previous 54-hole record of 887 set at the 1997 Colorado Invitational on the Coal Creek Golf Course.

The Huskers tied the 1998-99 team’s 36-hole score of 582 at the Marilyn Smith/Sunflower Invitational, Oct. 10-11, in Manhattan, Kan. The record was previously set at the 1998 Chip-N Club Invitational hosted by the Huskers on Sept. 14, 1998.

Nebraska’s 1,221 over 72 holes at the 2006 NCAA Championships was 18 strokes better than the 2000 Huskers’ 1,239 score. The Huskers surpassed the 18-hole record for a Nebraska team at the 2006 NCAA Championships, as NU’s final-round 299 surpassed the 2000 squad’s score of 302 in the third round.

All-Big 12 senior Stephanie Ruiz also made her way into the NU record books by breaking the 18-hole record with 67 at the Marilyn Smith/Sunflower Invitational. Ruiz also tied Elizabeth Bahensky’s 301 for the best score at the NCAA Championships.

Huskers Return Solid Nucleus for 2006-07 Season
The 2006-07 Huskers will bring back a strong nucleus to build around next season.Three starters, including junior Chrissie McArdle and sophomores Elli Brown and Allison Stewart will return from Nebraska’s 2006 team that finished 20th at the NCAA Championships.

McArdle, who owns the best returning stroke average on the team with 76.80, will return for her senior year as a three-year starter in the NU lineup.

Brown and Stewart have both earned time in the NU lineup the past two seasons and will add leadership roles as juniors in 2006-07. Brown played in all 13 tournaments for the Huskers as a true sophomore and finished with a 76.85 stroke average.

Stewart participated in eight tournaments in the NU lineup in 2005-06 and finished the year with a 78.48 stroke average over 25 rounds.

Huskers Finish Eighth At NCAA Central Regionals
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 in Bryan, Texas.

The Huskers 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 in the final round was good enough to produce a five-stroke cushion ahead of ninth place Michigan State, as the top eight teams in the Central Regional advanced to the NCAA Championships at the Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio, May 23-26.

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.

Sophomore Allison Stewart, who gave the Huskers a boost in the second round by firing a career-low 70, 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.

Huskers Named Team of the Week By Golfweek.com
The Huskers were named the Women’s Team of the Week by Golfweek.com after qualifying for the NCAA Championships, for the week of May 15.

Nebraska earned the honor after scoring 57 strokes better than their score at the Traditions Golf Course during the Texas A&M MO-Morial, March 10-12.

Huskers Finish Strong In National Rankings
The Nebraska women’s golf team jumped to No. 30 from 33rd in the final Golfstat national rankings.

The Huskers got a boost after defeating eight teams ranked in the the top 45 at the NCAA Central Regionals, where the Huskers placed eighth and qualified for the NCAA Championships, where they placed 20th. The Huskers also tied for fourth at the Big 12 Championships.

The Huskers placed in the top five in nine of 13 tournaments and produced top-10 finishes in 11 of the 13 events on their 2005-06 schedule. NU finished with a 304.88 season stroke average.

Ruiz Caps Career With Record-Breaking Season
Senior Stephanie Ruiz finished a solid career as a Husker with honors from the Big 12 Conference as well as etching her name in the Husker record books.

The Edmond, Okla., native earned second-team All-Big 12 honors from the conference coaches after earning Big 12 Golfer-of-the-Month honors for February, before placing 13th at the Big 12 Championships.

At the NCAA Championships, Ruiz matched Elizabeth Bahensky’s 301 at the 2000 NCAA Championships for the best individual tournament score in school history. Ruiz’s 13-over-par 301 (72-76-78-75) put her in a tie for 38th place, after placing in a tie for 21st at the NCAA Central Regional.

Ruiz won the Baja Invitational title in Ensenada, Mexico, with 223 (75-73-75), and added a second-place finish at the Central District Invitational with 219 (73-75-71). Ruiz helped the Huskers capture the tournament title as a team, while also boosting them into fourth place at the Central District Invitational.

Ruiz set a school record for an 18-hole round with a 67 at the Marilyn Smith/Sunflower Invitational in Manhattan, Kan., at the par-72, 6,046-yard Colbert Hills Country Club. She broke the previous record of 68 set by Amy Roux in the fall of 1998 and tied by Elizabeth Bahensky in fall 2000 and Merynn Ito in the fall of 2004.

On the season, Ruiz produced a 75.50 stroke average, while shooting 78 or better in 32 of 40 rounds, including six rounds under par.

Sasse Named to Big 12 Conference 10th Anniversary Team
Former Nebraska women’s golfer Sarah Sasse, was named to the Big 12 Conference 10th Anniversary team.

Sasse, who lettered in 2002, 2004 and 2005, was the first NU women’s golfer to receive first-team All-America honors in 2003. One of 11 golfers to make the list of All-Americans, Sasse was the only Big 12 golfer selected.

In addition, Sasse was the 2003 Big 12 Player of the Year, a 2003 Scholastic All-American, the 2003 April Big 12 Golfer of the Month, a three-time All-Big 12 honoree, a four-time academic All-Big 12 pick and three-time NCAA participant.

The Lincoln, Neb., native also holds the individual school record for the 36- and 54-hole scores with 138 and 209 strokes, respectively.

McArdle A Threat In Husker Lineup
Chrissie McArdle emerged as a consistent threat through the 2005-06 campaign, producing the second-best stroke average on the team at 76.80 over 40 rounds, including 31 rounds at or below 78.

McArdle shot a career-low round of 70 at the Mountain View Collegiate, helping the Huskers break the 54-hole record with a career-low 215. The Eden Prairie, Minn., native surpassed her previous career-best round of 71 shot three different times, including the second round of the Mountain View Collegiate. McArdle broke her previous career-low tournament score of 221, which she fired at both the 2003 adidas Fall Classic and the 2004 Edwin Watts/Palmetto.

In addition, McArdle wrapped the 2005-06 season with a tie for 33rd (237) at the Big 12 Championships and helped the Huskers earn eighth place at the NCAA Central Regional, placing in a tie for 35th with 231. At the NCAA Championships, McArdle scored a 311 and and placed in a tie for 88th.

McArdle produced seven appearances in the top 20 in 2005-06 and two top-five performances.

Beste Earns Academic Honor
Senior Jackie Beste was one of two Nebraska student-athletes who earned spots on the CoSIDA Second-Team Academic All-District VII Women’s At-Large squad.

Beste, a senior from Sauk Centre, Minn., produced a 3.84 grade-point average as an accounting major. A first-team academic All-Big 12 selection the past three years, Beste has been a steady contributor to the Husker program throughout her career.

An NGCA Scholastic All-American in both 2004 and 2005, Beste posted NU’s best finish at the 2004 Big 12 Championships with her tie for 14th.

She also won the 2005 Chip-N Club Invitational at Wilderness Ridge during the fall season of her senior campaign.

Beste was joined by NU women’s tennis player Imke Reimers on the academic all-district second team. Reimers and Beste were two of 20 student-athletes from across the region to earn all-district honors, which includes 10 second-team members and 10 first-team honorees.

Those student-athletes earning first-team all-district recognition advance to the national ballot to be considered for CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America honors.

Four Huskers Earn Degrees
Four Nebraska women’s golfers earned their bachelor’s degrees from the University of Nebraska Saturday, May 6, during commencement ceremonies at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

Current Huskers Stephanie Ruiz and Chelsea Gehring joined former Huskers Merynn Ito and Beth Anne Bryson on the list of 54 student-athletes who earned their degrees.

Ruiz graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies. The Edmond, Okla., native is a seven-time member of the Big 12 Commissoner’s Honor Roll and earned first-team academic All-Big 12 honors in 2003 and 2004.

Gehring earned her degree in horticulture and was a 2005 NGCA Scholastic All-American along with earning first-team academic All-Big 12 honors in 2005. The Aberdeen, S.D., native was also named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll nine times.

Ito, who completed her eligibility for the Huskers last season, earned her news-editorial degree. A four-year letterwinner from Aiea, Hawaii, Ito was an NGCA Scholastic All-American two years in row, while also earning first-team academic All-Big 12 honors twice. In addition, Ito was named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll eight times.

A standout on the golf course as well as in the classroom, Ito earned a berth into the 2005 NCAA Central Regional after leading Nebraska through the 2004-05 season.

Bryson, a four-year letterwinner who finished her career in 2005, earned her degree in elementary education. The Lincoln Southeast graduate earned NGCA Scholastic All-America honors in 2003, while also earning first-team academic All-Big 12 honors in 2003 and 2005. In addition, Bryson was also named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll nine times.

Overall, 84 Husker student-athletes have graduated this academic year before summer commencement exercises in August. Nebraska continues to lead the Big 12 and rank among the top schools in the nation with an exhausted eligibility graduation rate of 93 percent.

Huskers Recognized for Academic Accomplishments
Ten members of the Nebraska women’s golf team were recognized for their outstanding academic achievements by making the fall 2005 Big 12 Commissioner’s honor roll.

Seniors Sara Sackett, Jackie Beste and Chelsea Gehring were honored along with juniors Chrissie McArdle and Andrea Dunagan, sophomores Elli Brown and Allison Stewart and redshirt freshman Megan Place. Former Huskers Merynn Ito and Beth Anne Bryson were also named to the list.

The Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll recognizes student-athletes who earned a 3.0 GPA or higher during the previous semester. Overall, Nebraska had 235 student-athletes named to the fall honor roll, including 35 who produced perfect 4.0 grade-point averages during the fall semester.

The Nebraska women’s golf team earned recognition from the National Golf Coaches Association for its outstanding team grade-point average during the 2004-05 season.

Nebraska ranked seventh in the country with its overall GPA of 3.566. South Carolina won the NGCA All-Scholar Team GPA Award with its 3.752 cumulative team GPA.

The NGCA’s new award recognizes women’s collegiate golf programs for their academic achievements. The list is made up of the top 25 collective GPAs in the nation.

Last summer, the NGCA recognized four Huskers individually for their outstanding academic performances. Ito, Beste, Gehring and Stewart earned honors for their cumulative GPAs of 3.5 or higher. Nebraska leads the nation with 42 all-time NGCA Scholastic All-Americans.

Brown Capitalizes on 2004-05 Experience
Sophomore Elli Brown came off a successful freshman season and made a great impact through the 2005-06 campaign. At the Lady Razorback Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., Oct. 16-18 and the Edwin Watts/Palmetto Intercollegiate Oct. 31-Nov. 1, Brown shot a career-best 224 and was Nebraska’s top finisher in both tournaments. At the Edwin Watts/Palmetto Intercollegiate she placed in a tie for fourth, giving her the third top-10 finish of the fall season. At the Baja Invitational, Feb. 13-14, Brown placed third with 231.

At the Big 12 Championships, Brown gave the Huskers a lift with a 73 in the second round to finish with 235, finishing tied for 26th.She finished the season by helping the Huskers to an eighth-place finish at the NCAA Central Regional with 233 to tie for 49th and 309 at the NCAA Championships to tie for 79th.

Through 40 rounds in 2006 she produced a 76.85 stroke average in all 13 tournaments, third-best on the Husker roster.

Brown shot 78 or below in 28 of 40 rounds in 2005-06 and produced three rounds below par. She shot 71 four times, which is one stroke away from her career-best 70 at the 2005 Betsy Rawls Tournament.

Sackett Closes Solid Career
Sara Sackett made a stong impact in the Husker lineup through the 2005-06 campaign as one of Nebraska’s most consistent players. She produced a 77.56 stroke average over 39 rounds with 24 rounds being 78 or better.

The Cambridge, Neb., native posted two top-five finishes, including a runner-up finish at the 2005 Chip-N Club Tournament with 223 (75-72-76) at Wilderness Ridge Country Club in Lincoln, Neb. She also tied for fourth place at the Edwin Watts/Palmetto Intercollegiate with 224 (77-75-72) at the Oak Point Golf Course in Kiawah Island, S.C.

At the Big 12 Championships, Sackett gave the Huskers a boost with her 43rd-place finish, and then tied for 71st at the NCAA Central Regionals. At the NCAA Championships, Sackett placed in a tie for 79th.

In addition, Sackett placed in the top 20 four times.

Huskers Win Chip-N Club Invitational
The Nebraska women’s golf team fired a final-round 307 to cruise to its third consecutive Chip-N Club Invitational title at Wilderness Ridge Country Club, Sept. 27.

The Huskers, who strung together rounds of 295, 300 and 307, finished at 902 to out-perform second place Kansas State by 18 strokes.

Each of Nebraska’s top-five players finished in the top 12 in an impressive show of depth from the Husker starters. Even more impressively, NU’s No. 6 player in the tournament, senior Jackie Beste, captured the first tournament title of her career by blistering the 6, 009-yard, par-72 layout at Wilderness Ridge with a career-best 220.