Title for Statesmen in Rain-Shortened Madonna Tourney
William Penn Women’s Athletics
Gaylord, Mich.–It took the William Penn women’s golf team eight events to bring home gold during last year’s record-setting campaign, but the Statesmen wasted no time in taking top billing this season as it won the Madonna Crusader Classic Thursday.
In an event that was shortened to just one round (Friday was rained out), #16 nationally-ranked WPU was first out of five teams with a score of 317 at the par-72 Treetops Golf Course. Host and #26 Madonna was second at 332. The stacked field that the Statesmen dominated also included #12 Bethel (Ind.), #27 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), and Davenport (Mich.).
Demi Coertze (Jr., Johannesburg, South Africa, Digital Communication) opened up her junior season right where she finished her sophomore year–on fire. She paced the 22-player field with a 77, three strokes ahead of five players who tied for second.
“Demi continued her nice play in tournaments with a great performance at a tough course,” Head Coach Nik Rule said. “When her attitude is right, she grinds through a round as good as anyone in the country.”
The five runners-up who carded an 80 included three Statesmen. Maggie Yang (Sr., Chino, Calif., Biology), Courtney Cunningham (So., Muskogee, Okla., Computer Science), and Natalie Booton (Jr., Mount Pleasant, Elementary Education) joined Coertze on the six-person all-tourney squad.
Alexandria Eckenrod (Sr., Mason City, Iowa, Elementary Education), with an 83 (T-8th), and Jing Yang (So., Woodland Hills, Calif., Biology), with an 85 (T-13th), rounded out the varsity team’s scoring.
“We had very consistent play from our entire roster,” Rule said. “Natalie Booton deserves some recognition for her solid performance. She really dedicated herself this summer to getting better after a tough season last year from a personal standpoint and today had one of the most positive attitudes as I have ever seen. She is smiling and enjoying the game and it is amazing what one can accomplish with that mindset.”
An 83 by Carly Schmalz (So., Buffalo Lake, Minn., American Government) led the list of three individuals who also played for William Penn. Ashley Manhnieo (Sr., Las Vegas, Nev., Business Management) was 17th with an 86, while Brooke Fletcher (Atlantic, Iowa) tied for 25th with a 91.
The trio had their own time in the spotlight in Wednesday’s Par-3 Tournament. Playing on the Individuals team with two players from Bethel and one from Davenport, the team set an event record by going six-under par. It was the first time an Individual group defeated the varsity squads.
“We continue to operate with a chip on our shoulder, wanting to prove to the country that we are one of the best,” Rule said. “Beating the #12 team and holding off the #26 and #27 teams is something we can build on as we progress forward.”
“The team really worked hard during training camp and that poured over into our first event,” Rule added. “We struck the ball very well and as a team we hit 55% of greens and 79% of fairways. That in itself is impressive stuff, but also shows we have to be better around the green as we averaged 34 putts as a team.”
Next Up–William Penn travels to Moravia on September 8-9 to host the Midwest Collegiate Invitational at the Preserve Golf Course.
