Back-to-Back for William Penn
William Penn Women’s Athletics
Riverside–A challenge was accepted and, in the end, overcome as the Statesmen women’s golf team repeated as champions at the Midwest Collegiate Conference Championships Tuesday and Wednesday.
#20 William Penn was first out of seven teams with a two-round score of 634 (317-317) at the par-72 Blue Top Ridge Golf Course. Grand View threatened, trailing by just eight strokes after the first round, but the navy and gold pulled away from the field to secure its second-straight berth to the NAIA National Championships. The event will be held May 12-15 at Savannah Quarters Country Club in Pooler, Ga.
WPU will seek to improve upon last year’s impressive 15th-place showing.
Also for the second year in a row, Demi Coertze (Jr., Johannesburg, South Africa, Digital Communication) topped the 35-player field to become league championship medalist. The junior posted a 153 (77-76) to win by two strokes.
Maggie Yang (Sr., Chino, Calif., Biology) and Alexandria Eckenrod (Sr., Mason City, Iowa, Elementary Education) were named to the all-tournament team as well by finishing in the top five. Yang was third at 156 (77-79), while Eckenrod tied for fifth at 160 (79-81).
“We had three players on the all-tournament team, which is remarkable,” Head Coach Nik Rule said. “Demi repeated as individual conference champion after some of the most consistent play I have ever seen. She had ice water in the veins on her last 14 holes where she was even par.”
“Maggie again showed why she is one of the best, battling through some inconsistencies to still help propel the team to victory,” Rule added. “I had a lump in my throat as she was finishing her final hole; she has meant so much to the program and to our success.”
“Alexandria steps up in clutch situations; she did it last year at conference and did it again this year,” Rule said. “She was so consistent this week and helped us drive through some of the tough moments; she played awesome.”
Jing Yang (So., Woodland Hills, Calif., Biology) was 14th overall at 168 (87-81), while Natalie Booton (Jr., Mount Pleasant, Iowa, Elementary Education) also ended up in the top 20 in a tie for 19th at 172 (84-88).
“I am so proud of this team; everyone in this program has been such a huge part of the success this year,” Rule said. “Our players felt a lot of pressure all season with new expectations that had never been there before. They wanted to win conference again because they love this school and we were able to do that.”
“This program has come such a long way in five years and it is because of the dedication of so many,” Rule added. “It was important for us to go back-to-back to prove to everyone that we are not a one-hit wonder. We are here to stay.”
