Statesmen to Play with Cumberlands and Baker
William Penn Women’s Athletics
Oskaloosa–Playing in its second-straight national tourney, the William Penn women’s golf team will see how it compares to a top-10 program and a future league foe as the NAIA National Championships pairings were announced today.
#20 William Penn has drawn #9 Cumberlands (Ky.) and unranked Baker (Kan.) for the opening two rounds. They will be the final groups to tee off on Hole #10, starting at 1:20 p.m. (Eastern). The event will be played from May 12-15 at Savannah Quarters Country Club in Pooler, Ga.
The trio will then have a quick turnaround the next morning, serving as the second grouping to take to the links at 8:20 a.m. (starting on Hole #1).
“I like our draw,” Head Coach Nik Rule said. “We get to play against a top-10 team and the conference champion from the HAAC–our future conference. We go out late on the first day and early on the second, which will give us extra time to rest before that pivotal third round. We are excited to compete!”
William Penn, winners of back-to-back Midwest Collegiate Conference Championships titles, own a current stroke average of 318.7. Maggie Yang (Sr., Chino, Calif., Business Management), with a 77.5 stroke average, and Demi Coertze (Jr., Johannesburg, South Africa, Digital Communication), at 78.5, are both high in GolfStat’s national rankings; Yang is 30th, while Coertze is 43rd. The team has a posted a school-record score of 304.
Cumberlands (Ky.) earned its bid to nationals by winning the Mid-South Conference Tournament crown for the fourth season in a row. The Patriots, who were #6 in the NAIA’s preseason poll, are led by Bri-Ann Tokariwski and Rachel Pingleton. The pair own identical 77.5 scoring averages to be tied for 28th in GolfStat’s rankings. Cumberlands, which was fifth at last year’s Championships (28 strokes behind winner Oklahoma City), has shot as low as 289 and has been under 300 on three occasions.
Baker (Kan.) won its third-straight Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament title for its berth to nationals. The Wildcats tied for 24th last spring (missed the cut). They are led by Lindsey Mateer, who is 68th in the GolfStat rankings at 79.5
