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Click here for Golfweek's complete regional coverage.
By LANCE RINGLER
Assistant Editor
LINCOLN, Calif. – Make that three regional victories in a row.
Top-ranked USC led from start-to-finish to win the NCAA West Regional at Lincoln Hills Golf Club by 15 shots over Arizona State. Joining the Trojans and Sun Devils in the top eight and advancing to the NCAA Championship are UNLV, Arizona, Oklahoma State, Arkansas, Tulsa, and UC Davis. The national championship will be played at the University of New Mexico Golf Course May 20-23.
USC may be the hottest team in the country and the favorite to win the national championship. The Trojans, which finished the regional at 9-under 855, won the Pac-10 Championship by 26 shots in their previous start which vaulted them to No. 1 in the
Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings.
Trojans head coach Andrea Gaston feels her team’s work ethic is paying off.
“They are just giving it their best every time they come to practice and workouts,” said Gaston, who was named Pac-10 coach of the year. “On a day-in and day-out basis they have worked really hard and they are reaping some of the rewards right now.”
The win is the Trojans’ third consecutive regional title.
“I can’t believe we just keep coming in and just play great golf,” Gaston said. “I am looking at this as preparation for the next event. ... We want to certainly peak at that time.”
One team who may be peaking at the right time, or at least playing its best golf of the season, is UNLV. Behind the play of co-medalist Therese Koelbaek, the 16th-seeded Rebels finished third to advance to the NCAA finals for the third time in six years.
“I am extremely happy,” said UNLV coach Missy Ringler. “Obviously I felt that my team could do it and could make it if all the puzzle pieces fit together and we did that this week and I am very proud of them.”
UNLV had stuggled for the most of the year finding a fourth score, however this week senior Tonya Choate, who transferred from Division II Drury University, and Kasi Lee provided depth in the Rebel lineup to help them qualify.
“It’s something I have been saying all year, the key was Tonya Choate and Kasi Lee,” Ringler said. “Therese, Alejandra (Guacaneme) and Natasha (Krishna) were playing well all year, so those two were the key for us moving on.”
Koelbaek posted rounds of 69-68-73 for a 6-under total to share medalist honors with Arizona’s Alison Walshe, who carded a final-round 69.
Joining UNLV as non-top eight seeds to advance were Tulsa and UC Davis, who had to outlast Stanford and Ohio State in a three-for-one playoff. The Aggies were 1-under par while Stanford and Ohio State finished the playoff hole at 1 over.
As many as six teams had a shot at claiming the eighth spot. Michigan State and Oregon, playing in the afternoon wave, knew what they had to shoot and almost did it. The Spartans were inside the cut line for most of the round, but missed the playoff by a single shot.
“Total disappointment,” said Michigan State coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll. “We made a couple of doubles coming in that cost us an opportunity to play in the national championship.”
UC Davis was likely the last at-large team to get into the field. Fifty-two at-large teams were invited with the Aggies being ranked No. 52 in both the
Golfweek/Sagarin and Golfstat Rankings. This year was the first year UC Davis was elgible for Division I postseason play.
“It feels like I am in another world, just great,” said UC Davis coach Kathy DeYoung, who is retiring at season’s end. “This is a wonderful way to end the career and I am just so happy for the team. We were in a perfect position with no pressure at all and I feel bad for Stanford especially since they were going after their 20th in a row. They are great team.”
Stanford had the nation’s longest streak of advancing to the national championship. The Cardinal had played in each of the past 19 finals and was looking to make it 20 in a row.
“Obviously I am really disappointed. We had our chances today,” said Stanford coach Caroline O’Connor. “We did not make many birdies today and you had to make birdies on this course. Its tough right now, but we are young and we have learned a lot about ourselves and have to learn from this. Congratulations to the teams that made it.”
Tulsa head coach Randy Keck is in his first season after spending the last three years at Redlands Community College, where his team won the 2006 National Junior College Championship. Keck’s team got off to a blistering start. At one point, the Golden Hurricanes were 11 under during the round, but finished at 1-over 289 to claim the seventh spot.
“Pretty nice,” said Keck of his team’s start. “We had a built a little breathing room because I knew what was coming and I just hoped we would play those holes a little better than the rest of the teams in the field and we didn’t.”
Keck is making reference to Nos. 13-16, where Tulsa gave back most of its shots. The Golden Hurricanes had built enough of a cushion to return to the national championship for the first time since 2005, though.
San Jose State’s Erica Moston and Stanford’s Angela King advanced to the NCAA Championship as individuals.
Scores with relation to par from the final round of the NCAA Women’s West Regional, played May 10 at the par-72, 6,338-yard Lincoln (Calif.) Hills Golf Club (Note: x-advanced to NCAA Championship in playoff; y-playing as an individual; z-advanced to NCAA Championship as an individual):
| TEAM |
|
|
|
|
| 1. USC |
283-288-284--855 |
|
|
-9 |
| 2. Arizona State |
296-285-289--870 |
|
+ |
6 |
| 3. UNLV |
288-290-301--879 |
|
+ |
15 |
| 4. Arizona |
299-289-292--880 |
|
+ |
16 |
| 5. Oklahoma State |
293-293-296--882 |
|
+ |
18 |
| 5. Arkansas |
291-297-294--882 |
|
+ |
18 |
| 7. Tulsa |
287-308-289--884 |
|
+ |
20 |
| 8. x-UC Davis |
300-296-296--892 |
|
+ |
28 |
| • • • |
|
|
|
|
Failed to advance
|
|
|
|
|
| 8. Ohio State |
299-298-295--892 |
|
+ |
28 |
| 8. Stanford |
295-298-299--892 |
|
+ |
28 |
| 11. Michigan State |
295-304-294--893 |
|
+ |
29 |
| 12. California |
295-301-301--897 |
|
+ |
33 |
| 13. Oregon, |
303-297-301--901 |
|
+ |
37 |
| 14. UC Irvine |
302-301-301--904 |
|
+ |
40 |
| 15. Oklahoma |
299-303-303--905 |
|
+ |
41 |
| 16. San Jose State |
300-302-304--906 |
|
+ |
42 |
| 17. Brigham Young |
295-303-309--907 |
|
+ |
43 |
| 18. Fresno State |
306-306-296--908 |
|
+ |
44 |
| 19. North Carolina |
297-311-306--914 |
|
+ |
50 |
| 20. Portland State |
308-308-312--928 |
|
+ |
64 |
| 21. Oral Roberts |
310-312-309--931 |
|
+ |
67 |
| • • • |
|
|
|
|
| INDIVIDUALS |
|
|
|
|
| 1. Therese Koelbaek, UNLV |
69-68-73--210 |
|
|
-6 |
| 1. Alison Walshe, Arizona |
68-73-69--210 |
|
|
-6 |
3. Stefanie Endstrasser, USC
|
71-71-69--211 |
|
|
-5 |
| 3. Azahara Munoz, Arizona State |
69-71-71--211 |
|
|
-5 |
| 5. Jaclyn Sweeney, Oklahoma State |
69-72-72--213 |
|
|
-3 |
| 6. Kristin Ingram, Arkansas |
73-71-70--214 |
|
|
-2 |
| 6. Dewi Claire Schreefel, USC |
71-70-73--214 |
|
|
-2 |
| 8. Jennifer Osborn, Arizona State |
72-72-71--215 |
|
|
-1 |
| 9. Paola Moreno, USC |
68-74-74--216 |
|
|
E |
| 9. Belen Mozo, USC |
73-73-70--216 |
|
|
E |
| 11. z-Angela King, Stanford |
73-73-71--217 |
|
+ |
1 |
| 11. Stacy Lewis, Arkansas |
69-76-72--217 |
|
+ |
1 |
| 13. Mary Jacobs, Arizona |
76-71-71--218 |
|
+ |
2 |
| 13. z-Erica Moston, San Jose State |
73-74-71--218 |
|
+ |
2 |
| 13. Sydney Roughton, UC Davis |
73-74-71--218 |
|
+ |
2 |
| 16. Pernilla Lindberg, Oklahoma State |
75-73-71--219 |
|
+ |
3 |
| 17. Michaela Cavener, Tulsa |
70-79-71--220 |
|
+ |
4 |
| 17. Allison Goodman, California |
71-75-74--220 |
|
+ |
4 |
| 17. Selanee' Henderson, UC Irvine |
71-75-74--220 |
|
+ |
4 |
| 17. Laura Kueny, Michigan State |
71-77-72--220 |
|
+ |
4 |
| 17. Kendra Little, Oregon |
71-75-74--220 |
|
+ |
4 |
| 22. Christy Carter, Oral Roberts |
75-76-70--221 |
|
+ |
5 |
| 22. Sydney Crane, North Carolina |
74-74-73--221 |
|
+ |
5 |
| 22. y-Danielle Cvitanov, San Francisco |
73-73-75--221 |
|
+ |
5 |
| 22. Rebecca Durham, Stanford |
72-74-75--221 |
|
+ |
5 |
| 22. Ellen Mueller, Oklahoma |
72-74-75--221 |
|
+ |
5 |
| 22. Anna Nordqvist, Arizona State |
77-70-74--221 |
|
+ |
5 |
| 22. Lizette Salas, USC |
73-76-72--221 |
|
+ |
5 |
| 22. Taylor Siebert, Fresno State |
73-75-73--221 |
|
+ |
5 |
| 30. Haley Brown, Ohio State |
73-75-74--222 |
|
+ |
6 |
| 30. Sara Brown, Michigan State |
73-76-73--222 |
|
+ |
6 |
| 30. Tonya Choate, UNLV |
74-70-78--222 |
|
+ |
6 |
| 30. Emma Jandel, Ohio State |
76-74-72--222 |
|
+ |
6 |
| 30. Alice Kim, UC Davis |
77-73-72--222 |
|
+ |
6 |
| 35. Cathryn Bristow, Oregon |
77-73-73--223 |
|
+ |
7 |
| 35. Kendall Dye, Oklahoma |
78-72-73--223 |
|
+ |
7 |
| 35. Tara Goedeken, Tulsa |
71-77-75--223 |
|
+ |
7 |
| 35. Pia Halbig, California |
73-76-74--223 |
|
+ |
7 |
| 35. Leisl Hasbrouck, Tulsa |
77-74-72--223 |
|
+ |
7 |
| 35. Natasha Krishna, UNLV |
71-78-74--223 |
|
+ |
7 |
| 35. Juliana Murcia, Arizona State |
78-72-73--223 |
|
+ |
7 |
| 42. Juli Erekson, Brigham Young |
72-72-80--224 |
|
+ |
8 |
| 42. Kelly Fuchik, Tulsa |
71-78-75--224 |
|
+ |
8 |
| 44. Lucy Nunn, Arkansas |
74-74-77--225 |
|
+ |
9 |
| 44. Woori Shin, Tulsa |
75-79-71--225 |
|
+ |
9 |
| 44. Kate Thomas, North Carolina |
70-77-78--225 |
|
+ |
9 |
| 44. Catherina Wang, Stanford |
75-73-77--225 |
|
+ |
9 |
| 44. Shannon Yocum, California |
73-76-76--225 |
|
+ |
9 |
| 49. Alexia Brown, Portland State |
78-75-73--226 |
|
+ |
10 |
| 49. Carling Coffing, Ohio State |
76-72-78--226 |
|
+ |
10 |
| 49. Laura Luethke, Fresno State |
77-75-74--226 |
|
+ |
10 |
| 49. Mariko Makabe, UC Irvine |
76-74-76--226 |
|
+ |
10 |
| 49. Kelli Shean, Arkansas |
75-76-75--226 |
|
+ |
10 |
| 49. Jordyn Wells, Michigan State |
78-76-72--226 |
|
+ |
10 |
| 55. In-Hong Lim, Ohio State |
74-77-76--227 |
|
+ |
11 |
| 56. Hannah Bews, Portland State |
76-75-77--228 |
|
+ |
12 |
| 56. y-Mallory Blackwelder, Kentucky |
75-83-70--228 |
|
+ |
12 |
| 56. Tammy Clelland, Oklahoma State |
74-75-79--228 |
|
+ |
12 |
56. Katrina Delen Briones, San Jose
|
75-77-76--228 |
|
+ |
12 |
| 56. Felicia Eastick, Oregon |
76-74-78--228 |
|
+ |
12 |
| 56. Natalia Jimenez, Brigham Young |
79-74-75--228 |
|
+ |
12 |
| 56. Amanda Johnson, Oklahoma State |
75-79-74--228 |
|
+ |
12 |
| 56. Alejandra Llaneza, Arizona |
78-69-81--228 |
|
+ |
12 |
| 56. Kim Lorenzana, UC Irvine |
78-74-76--228 |
|
+ |
12 |
| 56. Holly Niederkohr, Michigan State |
73-77-78--228 |
|
+ |
12 |
| 56. Pamela Ontiveros, Oral Roberts |
73-77-78--228 |
|
+ |
12 |
| 56. y-Emily Powers, Kansas |
80-77-71--228 |
|
+ |
12 |
| 56. Daphne Vines, Brigham Young |
72-80-76--228 |
|
+ |
12 |
| 69. Mari Chun, Stanford |
75-78-76--229 |
|
+ |
13 |
| 69. Cristina Corpus, San Jose State |
78-74-77--229 |
|
+ |
13 |
| 69. Bryana Gregory, UC Davis |
79-75-75--229 |
|
+ |
13 |
| 69. Alejandra Guacaneme, UNLV |
79-74-76--229 |
|
+ |
13 |
| 69. Kelly Jacques, Oklahoma |
74-77-78--229 |
|
+ |
13 |
| 69. Chelsea Stelzmiller, UC Davis |
72-79-78--229 |
|
+ |
13 |
| 69. Amanda Wilson, Arizona |
77-76-76--229 |
|
+ |
13 |
| 76. Ashley Childers, Brigham Young |
72-78-80--230 |
|
+ |
14 |
| 76. Lauren Hunt, North Carolina |
76-77-77--230 |
|
+ |
14 |
| 78. Kasi Lee, UNLV |
74-78-79--231 |
|
+ |
15 |
| 78. Katie Sisler, UC Davis |
78-74-79--231 |
|
+ |
15 |
| 80. Hali Coppin, Fresno State |
79-79-74--232 |
|
+ |
16 |
| 80. Jessica Gibson, Oral Roberts |
80-77-75--232 |
|
+ |
16 |
| 80. Aimee Neff, Michigan State |
80-75-77--232 |
|
+ |
16 |
| 80. Erica Omlid, Oregon |
79-77-76--232 |
|
+ |
16 |
| 80. Heather Wright, Oklahoma |
75-80-77--232 |
|
+ |
16 |
| 85. Roseanne Niven, California |
82-74-77--233 |
|
+ |
17 |
| 86. Jessica Hauser, Ohio State |
83-78-73--234 |
|
+ |
18 |
| 86. Kate Hildahl, Oregon |
79-75-80--234 |
|
+ |
18 |
| 86. Danielle Ranallo, Portland State |
76-79-79--234 |
|
+ |
18 |
| 89. Patty Chawalitmetha, UC Irvine |
77-83-75--235 |
|
+ |
19 |
| 89. Chelsea Czinski, Fresno State |
80-80-75--235 |
|
+ |
19 |
| 89. Maria Pia Escandon, Fresno State |
77-77-81--235 |
|
+ |
19 |
| 89. Karin Kinnerud, Oklahoma State |
83-73-79--235 |
|
+ |
19 |
| 93. Jade Bollinger, Brigham Young |
79-79-78--236 |
|
+ |
20 |
| 94. Hillary Packard, UC Irvine |
79-78-80--237 |
|
+ |
21 |
| 95. Liisa Kelo, Arizona State |
78-79-82--239 |
|
+ |
23 |
| 95. Kim Punyasavatsut, San Jose State |
74-81-84--239 |
|
+ |
23 |
| 95. Andrea Waters, California |
78-84-77--239 |
|
+ |
23 |
| 98. Ann Laney, North Carolina |
77-83-80--240 |
|
+ |
24 |
| 98. Emily Mason, Arizona |
83-81-76--240 |
|
+ |
24 |
| 100. Colette Lowe, North Carolina |
79-84-78--241 |
|
+ |
25 |
| 101. Alex Schulte, Arkansas |
80-79-83--242 |
|
+ |
26 |
| 102. Kanika Minocha, San Jose State |
87-77-80--244 |
|
+ |
28 |
| 103. Kayla Morinaga, Portland State |
83-79-83--245 |
|
+ |
29 |
| 104. Piper Miller, Stanford |
81-82-85--248 |
|
+ |
32 |
| 105. Aubrey Vaughn, Portland State |
78-82-89--249 |
|
+ |
33 |
| 106. Megan O'Connell, Oral Roberts |
82-82-86--250 |
|
+ |
34 |
| 107. Ryanne Elmer, Oklahoma |
86-84-82--252 |
|
+ |
36 |
| 108. Sharon McAlpine, Oral Roberts |
86-84-86--256 |
|
+ |
40 |
|
|
|
, |
|
Posted: 5/10/2008
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