Statesmen Open Nationals in Pairing with Indiana Wesleyan, Bellevue
Oskaloosa–The William Penn women’s golf team’s return to the final event of the season will feature a pairing with two other Midwest programs as the 27th NAIA National Championship will be contested this week.
WPU, which enters the Championship ranked 26th in the NAIA, is making its seventh appearance at nationals and first since 2019. The event will be held Tuesday-Friday, May 24-27 at Lincoln Park West Course in Oklahoma City, Okla.
For the first two rounds, the Statesmen will be paired with #17 Indiana Wesleyan and #34 Bellevue (Neb.). The trio will begin the Championship on Tuesday by teeing off on Hole #1 at 1:50 p.m. (Central); they then return to action Wednesday at 8:50 a.m. (Central) beginning on Hole #10.
William Penn has met both squads this season, including falling to IWU at the TPC Deere Run Classic, while defeating BU at that same event. WPU and Bellevue were in three other tournaments during the regular season as well.
William Penn, winners of the Heart of America Athletic Conference Championship last month, owns a current team average of 316.8 over 17 rounds with a low of 302. Sam Maceli (Fr., Pittsburg, Kan., Exercise Science) leads the navy and gold as she is ranked 94th in GolfStat with an adjusted scoring average of 77.9 (77.0 regular average). Fellow freshman Olivia Lange (Porta Westfalcia, Germany, Business Management) is also under an 80 stroke average (78.9).
The Statesmen won four tournaments and a match-play event this season.
Indiana Wesleyan won the Crossroads League Tournament title for its automatic berth. The Wildcats have four players rated in the top 100 of GolfStat’s rankings, headed by Sydney Leyerle at #73 and Braedyn O’Dell at #77.
IWU won six events this year.
Bellevue was victorious at the North Star Athletic Association Championship to receive its nationals berth. Five players earned all-NSAA honors, led by Allison Temple winning the individual medalist award at the conference championship.
BU’s lone tournament crown came at the NSAA Championship.
