Friday, April 15, 2016

PORTLAND, Ore. – In the midst of one of the most dominant runs across the GNAC, the Western Washington women’s golf team will attempt to win its sixth straight title at the GNAC Women’s Golf Championships presented by Coeur d’Alene Resort. The tournament will be played in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho on Apr. 18 and 19.

The Vikings enter the six-team field as the heavy favorites, not only for their championship pedigree, but also for their continued success this season. Western Washington owns the top team average round score (305.9) by nearly 10 strokes. The Vikings’ also have five golfers ranked in the top-10 in average round score, led by sophomore Jenn Paul.

Paul leads all golfers this season with an average 18-hole score of 75. In seven tournaments, she has finished in the top-10 six times. Paul also has three top-five placements and took medalist honors at the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout on Mar. 7 and 8 with a score of 1-under par 143. As a freshman, Paul was the co-GNAC Women’s Golfer of the Year and tied for third place at the GNAC Championships.

The team has incredible depth with five players averaging under 79 per round. Senior Kristin Hansen is the reigning medalist at the GNAC Championships after shooting 10-over par 152 last year. This season, Hansen averaged a score of 77.9 in 16 rounds and led all Western Washington golfers with a score of 150 at their final tournament, the Mustang Intercollegiate.

The Western Washington team is rounded out by freshman Stephanie Sewell and juniors Brooke Branigan and Audrey Orem. Sewell is tied with Hansen this season with an average score of 77.9, fourth best in the conference. Branigan ranks seventh in the conference at 78.1 and Orem is close behind in eighth at 78.2.

Montana State Billings looks to claim its first GNAC title after finishing as the runners-up the past two years. This season, they enter the tournament with the second lowest average round score of 315.1 and one of the youngest teams, led by freshman Kortney McNeil and Anna DeMars.

McNeil paced the Yellowjackets this season with an average score of 78, ranking sixth in the GNAC. She finished in the top-10 in five of eight tournaments and took medalist honors at the MSUB Yellowjacket Fall Invitational on Oct. 8 and 9. DeMars ranks second on the Yellowjackets, averaging a 79.1 score in 16 tournaments.

The Yellowjackets do not have any seniors on their team as sophomores Bailee Dexter and Sammy Walter and junior Haley Shackelford round out their top five. Dexter ranks third on the team, averaging 79.8 strokes per round, while Walter and Shackelford average 81.4 and 81.5, respectively.

Saint Martin’s enters the GNAC Championships led by one of the top golfers in the conference in senior Jennifer Liedes. Liedes was selected the co-GNAC Women’s Golfer of the Year in 2015 after tying for third at the GNAC Championships and ranking second in the conference with an average round score of 76.7. Liedes is in the midst of a repeat season, ranking tied for second in the GNAC, again averaging a 76.7 score. She took medalist honors at two events this season, Western Washington Invite and the Dennis Rose Invitational.

The Saints are an experienced team with three seniors leading the way into the GNAC Championships. Along with Liedes, Sarah Salvatori and Gracie Dyer will compete in the conference tournament, looking to improve the team’s fifth place finish from last season. Salvatori averaged a score of 80.9 this season while Dyer averaged carding an 82.3. The Saints will also have sophomore Lisa Zelasko (82.9) and freshman Celia Beyke (81.9) entered for the GNAC Championships.

Much like Montana State Billings, Simon Fraser heads into the GNAC Championships with a young core group of golfers. Freshman Emily Leung is tied for second in the GNAC with Liedes with an average round score of 76.7 in 12 rounds. Leung opened her collegiate career by winning the Saint Martin’s Invitational on Oct. 9 and 10 with a score of 3-over par 149, leading the Clan to a second place finish. She later finished second in a field of 73 at the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout, carding a score of even-par 144.

The Clan feature all underclassman on the team, with freshman Belinda Lin as the No. 2 golfer. Lin averaged a 79.4 this season and also finished in the top-10 in six tournaments. Sophomores Breanna Croxen (80.6) and Michelle Waters (81.4) and freshman Kylie Jack (81.5) will also compete for Simon Fraser at the GNAC Championships.

In their first season in the GNAC, Concordia has proven to be a competitive team all season. The Cavaliers enter the conference tournament with five upperclassman, led by junior Lynsie Furuya. The Honolulu, Hawaii native is ranked ninth in the GNAC with an average round score of 78.3. Furuya’s season includes two second place finishes at the Saint Martin’s Invitational and the Dennis Rose Invitational. She shot her lowest round of the season of 73 in the first round of the Cavaliers last tournament at the Doc Housewright Invitational on Apr. 11 and 12.

The Cavaliers have five top-five finishes in nine tournaments this season. In six rounds this season, senior Holly Winburn averaged an 80.7. Junior Kelsey Whiles and senior Patricia Little have played all 18 rounds for Concordia this season, averaging 82.2 and 85.6, respectively. In seven rounds for junior Lindsay Mirabal, she has averaged a 84.7 with one top-10 finish.

Northwest Nazarene finished the regular season with an average score of 332.9, but enjoyed some impressive individual performances. Junior Samantha Miller led the team with a 79.5 average round score, finishing in the top-10 in five of eight tournament, taking a top-five spot four times. She took fifth place at the competitive Western Washington Invitational on Oct. 12 and 13 with a score of 5-over par 151.

Senior Haley Gochnour shot the team’s lowest round of the season with a score of 70 at the Crusaders-Coyotes Dual on Sept. 30. She averaged a score of 82.7 in all 14 rounds for the Crusaders. Freshman Stephanie Miller averaged an 84.7 in her first collegiate season, while junior Brittney Paterson (88.3) and senior Carleigh Sturm (89.4) will round out the five competitors for Northwest Nazarene at the GNAC Championships.

The first round of the GNAC Women’s Golf Championships will begin at 9:10 a.m. Pacific time on Mon., Apr. 18. There will be 10 groups of three competitors each, teeing off every ten minutes.

NCAA WES REGION RANKINGS – 1. Tarleton St.; 2. Dallas Baptist; 3. St. Mary's (TX); 4. California Baptist; 5 Sonoma St.; 6. Academy of Art; 7. Point Loma; 8. Western Wash.; 9. West Tex. A&M; 10. Chico St.; 11. St. Edward's; 12. Okla. Christian; 13. Newman; 14. Midwestern St.