Friday, September 20, 2019

PORTLAND, Ore. – Five of the GNAC’s six women’s golf teams were in action for the first time this fall, competing on Monday and Tuesday at the True North Classic at the Richmond Country Club in Richmond, B.C. It was the first NCAA golf tournament held in Canada.

The GNAC was well represented in the Classic, with the top-five finishers all coming from GNAC teams.

Host Simon Fraser led the way, winning the Classic with a total score of 595. The Clan placed four golfers in the top-10 of the leaderboard. Senior Jaya Rampuri paced the Clan, finishing with a score of 72 in both rounds to finish at even-par 144 to earn medalist honors.

Concordia senior and last year’s GNAC Co-Player of the Year Cammie Decker also impressed. She shot a 71 on Monday to put her in the lead going into the second round, but a 76 on Tuesday put her in second place on the final leaderboard, three shots behind Rampuri.

Two GNAC teams were listed among teams receiving votes in the first Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) Division II Poll, which was released on Friday. Simon Fraser, the defending GNAC champion, is fourth among those teams with 15 points. Western Washington received three votes.

Saint Martin’s was the only team that did not compete at the True North Classic. The Saints will open their season when they host the Saint Martin’s Invitational starting on Friday, Oct. 4, in Olympia, Washington.

LAST WEEK’S TOURNAMENTS
True North Classic (Sept. 16-17 at Richmond Country Club, Richmond, B.C.): Team - 1, Simon Fraser, 595. 2, Western Washington, 620. 4, Concordia, 626. 6, Northwest Nazarene, 648. 9, Montana State Billings, 666. Individuals - 1, Jaya Rampuri, Simon Fraser, 144. 2, Cammie Decker, Concordia, 147. 3, Estee Leung, Simon Fraser, 148. T4, Megan Billeter, Western Washington, 150. T4, Emily Leung, Simon Fraser, 150.

AROUND THE GNAC
CONCORDIA
• Concordia finished in fourth in the team standings at the True North Classic, finishing with a team score of 626.

• Senior Cammie Decker led the way for the Cavs, finishing in second place with a total score of 3-over-par 147.

• The Cavs’ Katie Bogert and Kendall Freeman finished tied for 15th place with scores of 158.

• Up next for the Cavs is the Dixie State Fall Invitational in Hurricane, Utah. The tournament will run from Sept. 30-Oct. 1.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings finished in ninth in the True North Classic. The Yellowjackets finished with a score of 666.

• Sophomore Avery Gill had the best individual performance in the True North Classic, finishing tied for 25th with a score of 162. Junior Renae Heisler finished tied for 31st with a score of 166.

• Up next, Montana State Billings will travel down to compete in the RJGA Shootout at Estrella in Goodyear, Arizona. The tournament will run from Sept. 23-24.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene finished in sixth at the True North Classic with a score of 648.

• The top finish in the tournament for the Nighthawks came from junior Hannah Holloway, who finished with a total score of 10-over-par 154.

• Junior Trinity McCarthy also finished in the top half on the leaderboard, finishing tied for 21st with a score of 160.

• Northwest Nazarene is scheduled to compete next in the Dixie State Fall Invitational, starting on Sept. 30 in Hurricane, Utah.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s did not compete in the True North Classic.

• The Saints will open their season when they host the Saint Martin’s Invitational in Olympia, Washington. The tournament will run from Oct. 4-5.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser opened its season with a win at the True North Classic. The Clan finished with a score of 19-over-par 595, 25 strokes ahead of second place Western Washington, and placed all four scoring players in the top 10.

• Simon Fraser was led by senior Jaya Rampuri, who finished in first place in the individual standings with a two-round even-par score of 144. Rampuri was consistent, scoring a 72 on both days.

• The Clan’s Estee Leung finished in third with a score of 4-over-par 148. She was just one stroke shy of being tied for second place with Concordia’s Decker.

• Up next for Simon Fraser is the Dixie State Fall Invitational starting on Sept. 30 in Hurricane, Utah.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington finished in second place in the team standings at the True North Classic. The Vikings finished with a score of 620, four strokes ahead of third place Academy of Art.

• Junior Megan Billeter led the Vikings, finishing in a tie for fourth place with a score of 6-over-par 150.

• Senior Lacy Overstreet and freshman Elise Sumner also impressed and were tied for 10th with a score of 155.

• Up next for Western Washington is the Saint Martin’s Invitational on Oct. 4-5 in Olympia, Washington.