Friday, March 16, 2018

PORTLAND, Ore. – Montana State Billings represented the GNAC well as it was one of two conference teams in action this week. Playing in the Warrior Invitational on Monday and Tuesday, the Yellowjackets opened the tournament with a first-round score of 319 before finishing day two at 314. Montana State Billings came away with a second-place finish and had three individuals finish within the top-10. Saint Martin’s is currently finishing the second round of the Augustana Spring Fling in Palm Desert, Calif.

With the GNAC Championships a little over a month away, three of the six GNAC teams have the remainder of March off. Montana State Billings and Simon Fraser partake in the Otter Invitational next week while MSUB and Northwest Nazarene continue action on Mar. 26.

Simon Fraser junior Belinda Lin was named the GNAC Women’s Golf Player of the Week after she led the conference for the second-straight week with a tie for ninth place in last week’s Tim Tierney’s Pioneer Shootout. Lin is fourth in the GNAC with a 79.1 stroke through seven rounds this season.

LAST WEEK’S TOURNAMENTS

Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout (Mar. 5-6 at Callippe Preserve GC, Pleasanton, Calif.): Team –1, Cal Baptist, 611 (306-305). T3, Simon Fraser, 633 (318-315). 9, Western Washington, 657 (330-327). 12, Northwest Nazarene, 692 (353-339). 13, Saint Martin’s, 723 (363-360). Individuals – 1, Sterling Hawkins, Academy of Art, 148 (74-74). 6, Belinda Lin, Simon Fraser, 155 (78-77). T7, Jenn Paul, Western Washington, 156 (78-78). T12, Emily Leung, Simon Fraser, 157 (77-80). T15, Michelle Waters, Simon Fraser, 159 (78-81). T25, Estee Leung, Simon Fraser, 162 (85-77).

Warrior Invitational (Mar. 12-13 at Stallion Mountain GC, Las Vegas, Nev.): Team – 1, West Alabama, 614 (308-306). 2, Montana State Billings, 633 (319-314). Individuals – 1, Jin Ye Eun, West Alabama, 141 (70-71). T5, Bailee Dexter, Montana State Billings, 157 (78-79). T7, Renae Heisler, Montana State Billings, 159 (78-81). T9, Shealyn Hafer, Montana State Billings, 160 (81-79). T17, Sammy Walter, Montana State Billings, 163 (88-75). T24, Sarah Schroefel, Montana State Billings, 168 (82-86).

AROUND THE GNAC
CONCORDIA
LAST WEEK: Idle
NEXT WEEK: Idle
• Concordia last played on Feb. 26-27 and came away with a tie for 12th place at the Lancer Joust.

• Junior Shantel Antonio and sophomore Cammie Decker have been superb for the Cavaliers this season as the duo is ranked second and third in the GNAC with a 78.2 and 78.5 stroke average, respectively.

• Concordia will visit Rohnert Park, Calif., on April 2 to play in the Sonoma State Spring Invitational.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
LAST WEEK: Warrior Invitational, 2nd of 9, 633 (319-314).
THIS WEEK: Mar. 19-20 at Otter Invitational, Pebble Beach, Calif.
• Montana State Billings impressed at the Warrior Invitational as it came away with a second-place finish. As a team, the Yellowjackets shaved five strokes off their first-round score to edge third-place Winona State by nine strokes.

• The Yellowjackets were led by senior Bailee Dexter and freshman Renae Heisler. Dexter paced MSUB after carding a 13-over 157 for a fifth-place tie while Heisler tied for seventh after carding 15-over par.

• Junior Shealyn Hafer rounded out the Yellowjackets’ top-10 finishers with a tie for ninth place (160, 81-79)

• Hafer, Dexter, Heisler and junior Sarah Schroefel lead MSUB with 10 rounds played this season. Hafer leads the pack with an 80.6 stroke average while Dexter is at 81 strokes per round.

• The Yellowjackets will play in their second spring tournament next week at the Otter Invitational in Pebble Beach, Calif.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
LAST WEEK: Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout, 15th of 17, 692 (353-339).
NEXT WEEK: Idle
• Northwest Nazarene last played on Mar. 6 at the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout where it finished in 15th place.

• In the final round of the shootout, junior Stephanie Miller led NNU’s second-round efforts after carding an 89 and 82 for a two-day total of 171 to finish 61st. She leads the team with an 84.9 stroke average.

• Miller is among five Nighthawks that have played all 10 rounds this season. Freshman Trinity McCarthy is second on the team with 86.8 strokes per round while freshman Ragan McGilvery is at an 89.9 stroke average.

• Northwest Nazarene is back in action on Mar. 26 at the Bulldog Classic, hosted by the Univ. of Redlands in Indio, Calif.

SAINT MARTIN’S
LAST WEEK: Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout, 16th of 17, 723 (363-360). Augustana Spring Fling, TBD.
NEXT WEEK: Idle

• The Saints improved by three strokes on the second day of the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout for a 16th place finish.

• After shooting a team-low 83 on Monday, junior Celia Beyke shaved two strokes off her score to end with a two-day total of 164 and a tie for 44th. Meanwhile, junior TiAnna Ford carded a second-round score of 87 for a two-day score of 177.

• Beyke leads the team with an 80.3 stroke average through seven rounds this season.

• The Saints are currently finishing the second round of the Augustana Spring Fling in Palm Desert, Calif. They will next play on April 9 at the Mustang Invitational in Goodyear, Ariz.

SIMON FRASER
LAST WEEK: Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout, T5th of 17, 633 (318-315).
THIS WEEK: Mar. 19-20 at Otter Invitational, Pebble Beach, Calif.
• For the second-straight week, Lin was named the GNAC Golf Player of the Week after she tied for ninth at the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout. The junior carded a two-round score of 11-over-par 155 with a low-round of 5-over-par 77 on the second day. As a team, Simon Fraser tied for fifth place with Sonoma State at 633 (318-315).

• Junior Emily Leung finished two shots back of Lin for a share of 16th after carding a 13-over par 157 (77-80). Leung leads the league with 76.4 strokes per round and is one of three players on the team to play in all seven tournaments this season.

• Lin is fourth in the league at 79.1 strokes per round. Leung, senior Michelle Waters and sophomore Jaya Rampuri lead the Clan with 14 rounds played this year.

• Simon Fraser resumes action next week as it plays in the Otter Invitational at Pebble Beach, Calif.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
LAST WEEK: Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout, 12th of 17, 657 (330-327).
NEXT WEEK: Idle.
• At the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout last week, senior Jenn Paul carded back-to-back rounds of 6-over par to finish with a two-round total of 156. In addition to Paul’s top-15 finish, junior Stephanie Sewell tied for 44th at 21-over par while junior Annie Leete tied for 52nd at 168.

• Paul is among GNAC leaders with a 79.3 stroke average and is one of four Vikings to play more than 12 rounds this season. Sewell is second on the team shooting 80 strokes per round.

• The Vikings have the rest of March off and will next feature in the Mustang Invitational in Goodyear, Ariz., on April 9.

GNAC Women’s Golf Player of the Week (Mar. 13, 2018)

Belinda Lin (Simon Fraser, Jr., Surrey, B.C. – Semiahmoo): For the second-straight week, Lin led the GNAC as she tied for ninth at the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout. The carded a two-round score of 11-over-par 155 with a low-round of 5-over-par 77 on the second day.

Also Nominated: Jenn Paul (Western Washington).