Entire Team in Top 10 Leads WPU to Second Title
William Penn Women’s Athletics
Columbia, Mo.–The Statesmen women’s golf team used five strong showings to claim its second crown of the fall at the Columbia Classic Monday and Tuesday.
William Penn was first out of six teams with a two-day tally of 647 (323-324) at the par-72 Columbia Country Club. Heart of America Athletic Conference foe and defending league champion Baker was a distant second at 676 (336-340).
Demi Coertze (Sr., Johannesburg, South Africa, Digital Communication) shared medalist honors in the 31-player field with a 155 (78-77), tying Baker’s Lindsey Mateer at the top.
She was not alone near the top as Jodi Saito (Jr., Mililani, Hawaii, Education) placed fourth, just five strokes back at 162 (78-84).
“Having two players on the all-tournament team is great and it was nice to see Jodi be honored,” Head Coach Nik Rule said. “She has worked hard and it is showing. Demi was again on point with her play and leadership and anchored the team to a win; all are good signs going forward.”
Jing Yang (Sr., Woodland Hills, Calif., Biology) narrowly missed the all-tournament team as she tied for sixth at 166 (86-80), while varsity teammates Elise Warne (Fr., North Balwyn, Australia, Exercise Science) (85-83) and Miranda Keeler (So., Plattsmouth, Neb., Communications) (82-86) were right behind her in a tie for eighth at 168.
WPU’s three individuals also fought through the course admirably. Brooke Fletcher (So., Atlantic, Iowa, Business Management) tied Yang for sixth at 85-81–166, while Courtney Cunningham (Jr., Muskogee, Okla., Computer Science) matched Warne and Keeler for eighth at 168 (84-84). Megan Rhoads (Fr., Schertz, Texas, Psychology) rounded out the group’s efforts in a tie for 17th at 179 (92-87).
“We managed a tough course, in fact statistically the toughest course we have played this year, in a manner that was respectable,” Rule said. “We did not play our best, but we played team golf and picked up one another each day. Overall, we are still making unexpected mistakes due to our relative inexperience as a team, but that is why we are playing right now to gain that experience.”
“I am so proud of our ladies,” Rule added. “We had a goal going into this week to win two team championships in three days and we accomplished that. Our varsity reserve won a varsity tournament at Waldorf on Sunday and the ladies at this event wanted to maintain their end of the goal and brought home a victory as well. It is a good day to be a Statesmen.”
Next Up: William Penn returns to Oskaloosa Sunday and Monday to host the William Penn Classic. Play will be contested at Edmundson Golf Course.
