Friday, April 12, 2019

PORTLAND, Ore. – All six of the conference's women's golf teams were in action in recent weeks across events in Goodyear, Ariz. and Santa Rosa, Calif.

It was Concordia who headlined the league, heading into the GNAC Championships with plenty of momentum after winning the Sonoma State Spring Invitational earlier this week.

Senior Shantel Antonio led the way for the Cavaliers in their 10th tournament of the season, finishing with rounds of 72 and 76 to share medalist honors in Santa Rosa. Junior Cammie Decker also impressed, placing fourth and finishing just one stroke outside of the three-way tie for first place.

Concordia represents the GNAC in the latest NCAA Division II West Region rankings, coming in at No. 14 with postseason play fast approaching.

LAST WEEK'S TOURNAMENTS
Mustang Intercollegiate (Apr. 5-6 at Palm Valley Golf Club, Goodyear, Ariz.): Team – 1, West Texas A&M, 583. 13, Western Washington, 618. 21, Montana State Billings, 636. 23, Saint Martin's, 667. Individuals - T33, Sarah Shea, Western Washington, 152. T33, Lacy Sheldon, Western Washington, 152.

Sonoma State Spring Invitational (Apr. 8-9 at Santa Rosa Golf & Country Club, Santa Rosa, Calif.): Team – 1, Concordia, 612. T8, Simon Fraser, 638. 10, Northwest Nazarene, 652. 11, Montana State Billings, 656. Individuals - T1, Shantel Antonio, Concordia, 148. 4, Cammie Decker, Concordia, 149. T10, Kaley Saludares, 154.

AROUND THE GNAC
CONCORDIA
• The Cavaliers were in action earlier this week, taking home the title against a competitive field at the Sonoma State Spring Invitational.

• Concordia put together a two-day total of 612 to win the event. The performance came on the heels of a solid fourth-place finish at the Otter Invitational last month. Senior Shantel Antonio led the way, finishing in a tie for first individually after posting scores of 72 and 76.

• Junior Cammie Decker was the other Cavalier to place inside the top-five. Decker's total of 149 was just one stroke shy of joining the three-way tie for first place. 

• It's Decker who leads Concordia in scoring average at 76.9 heading into the postseason.

• The Cavaliers next event will come in the GNAC Championships as the team takes to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho on April 22-23.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings played twice in recent weeks, headlined by an 11th place finish at the Sonoma State Spring Invitational.

• Senior Shealyn Hafer had the best individual performance in each event, finishing tied for 30th (+7) at the Mustang Intercollegiate and tied for 32nd (+15) in Santa Rosa. Sophomore Renae Heisler also impressed, finishing in a tie for 42nd at both tournaments.

• The team has been paced by Hafer throughout the 2018-19 campaign. Her 79.6 scoring average leads MSUB and is tied for eighth in the league.

• Up next for Montana State Billings is the GNAC Championships in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The tournament will run from April 22-23.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• The Nighthawks continued their solid start to the month of April with a 10th place finish at the Sonoma State Spring Invitational. 

• Northwest Nazarene put together a total score of 652 in Santa Rosa. The event was just the team's third of the spring season.

• Senior Stephanie Miller topped NNU in the tournament, totaling a 15-over-par 159 over the two days. Miller's opening round 75 was her team's lowest score of the week.

• It's Miller who leads Northwest Nazarene in scoring average at 80.5. Freshman Taylor Entenman ranks second at a clip of 82.3. 

• The Nighthawks will be back in action on Saturday, taking to Eagle, Idaho for the Nighthawks Golf College-Am at Eagle Hills Golf Course.

SAINT MARTIN'S
• Saint Martin's was in action once in recent weeks, taking to Goodyear, Ariz. for the Mustang Intercollegiate.

• Gig Harbor, Wash. product Maddie Prigge led the way in the desert, carding a 18-over total of 162 at Palm Valley. Division I transfer TiAnna Ford finished just two strokes back of her teammate, firing a two-day total of 164.

• The team has been paced by Ford throughout the season. Her 85.4 scoring average leads SMU through 14 rounds.

• Up next for Saint Martin's is the GNAC Championships in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho on April 22-23.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser began the month of April in solid form, finishing in a tie for eighth at the Sonoma State Spring Invitational. In total, 15 teams and 81 individuals were competing at Santa Rosa Golf & Country Club.

• Sophomore Estee Leung and senior Belinda Lin led the Clan, carding a 12-over total of 156 to finish in 17th place. Junior Jaya Rampuri was seven strokes back of her top teammates, carding a two-round score of 163.

• The team has been paced by Rampuri throughout the 2018-19 campaign. The junior's 77.8 scoring average leads SFU and ranks fourth in the league.

• The Clan will now turn their focus to the postseason, beginning on April 22-23 at the GNAC Championships.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington played just once in recent weeks, topping the other GNAC teams in the field with a 13th-place showing at the Mustang Intercollegiate.

• Freshman Sarah Shea and junior Lacy Sheldon led the Vikings, carding a pair of 8-over rounds of 152 to finish tied for 33rd. Sophomore Megan Billeter was five strokes back of her top teammates, finishing with a total of 157.

• The team has been paced by Sheldon throughout the 2018-19 campaign. Her 76.5 scoring average currently leads the conference.

• Up next for WWU is the GNAC Championships in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The tournament will run from April 22-23.

GNAC Women’s Golfer of the Week (Apr. 8, 2019)

Shealyn Hafer (Montana State Billings, Sr., Butte, Mont. – Butte): Hafer was the top GNAC competitor at the Mustang Intercollegiate, carding a two-round score of 7-over-par 158. She shot a collegiate-low round of 73 in the opening round and finished in a tie for 30th place individually.