_-_Victoria_Student380x260.jpg?max_width=450)
WILLIAMSTOWN, MA – First year head coach Erika DeSanty has the Williams women’s golf team back in the NCAA Division III championship after an absence of one year. For the third time in the last four years the Ephs earned a berth in the tournament as a Pool B – At-Large entrant. Previously the Ephs participated in the 2007 (10th) and 2008 (8th) NCAA Championships.
Twenty teams and six individuals were named to the 2010 championship field that will be compete May 11-14 at the Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida. The six individual players selected are from teams that did not qualify for the team competition. Oglethorpe University (Atlanta, GA) will serve as the host institution. The El Campeon Course at the Mission Inn Resort is 5,901 yards with a par of 73 --36 on the front nine and 37 on the back.
Eleven teams earned automatic bids as conference champions, while the remaining nine teams were award At-Large berths. The 20-team field will play four rounds of 18 holes at El Campeon to determine the 2010 NCAA Division III Women’s Golf Championship.
DeSanty noted, “Our lineup will be led by seniors, Mary Gelber, Kait O'Brien, and Anne O'Leary. They will be joined by first years Becky Miller and Victoria Student. Of the five representing our team, Kait and Anne are the only members who have competed in the NCAA tournament.”
|
| Anne O'Leary '10 |
|
| Kait O'Brien '1 |
Though the Ephs will be competing with only two NCAA tournament-tested players in the lineup DeSanty likes her team and their chances on the big stage. “This is an exciting group because any one of them has the ability and potential to be our low scorer and they truly believe in and compete for each other. “
In three spring events the Ephs were second at the Vassar Invitational, third at the Jack Leaman Invitational and second at their own invitational at the Taconic Golf Club. Williams had a team score 670 at Vassar, 678 at the Leaman and finished at home with a season best 628: scoring -- 314 on each round.
“They’ve all worked very hard to earn this opportunity and though we have improved all season long [climbing the national rankings from 11th to open the spring to 9th] I believe our best team and individual rounds are still to come.”
|
| Mary Gelber '10 |
|
| Becky Miller '13 |
Four different Ephs finished in the top 10 in individual play this spring. First year Victoria Student shot a 163 at Vassar for second place and senior Anne O’Leary was fourth with a 165. First year Becky Miller placed second at the Jack Leaman Invite with a two-day total of 161 and she also claimed a sixth place finish at home with a scorching 155. Senior Mary Gelber tied for 9th at Taconic with a 156 and Victoria Student tied for 10th (157).
Summing up the Ephs return to the national competition DeSanty commented, “For the seniors this is their chance to prove how far the program has come over their four years and for the first years it is their chance to not only gain valuable experience, but to also show the promise of our future.”
Methodist College (NC) ,a 22-time winner of the event and owning a 12-year win streak, is the prohibitive favorite to take home the 2010 title.
|
| Victoria Student '13 |
TEAMS
INDIVIDUALS
