William Penn Paired With #1, #10 in Nation
William Penn University Athletics
Oskaloosa–For the second time in its first three trips to the NAIA National Championships, the Statesmen women’s golf team will play with the best team in the nation as the first and second-round pairings were announced Friday.
#21 William Penn will hit the links against #1 William Woods (Mo.) and #10 Coastal Georgia for the opening two rounds. The trio is set to be the first off the tee on Hole #1 on Tuesday, May 17, starting at 7:40 a.m. (Eastern). The event will be played from May 17-20 at Savannah Quarters Country Club in Pooler, Ga.
The programs then have the longest break in the field, not hitting the course again until 1 p.m. on Wednesday (again on Hole #1).
WPU, winners of last week’s Heart of America Athletic Conference Championships, own a current team average of 324.0 (low of 302–school record). Demi Coertze (Sr., Johannesburg, South Africa, Digital Communication) is 45th in GolfStat’s rankings with a 78.8 stroke average; the senior will also be flanked by a quartet of talented Statesmen.
William Woods obtained its nationals berth by winning the American Midwest Conference Tournament crown for the 13th season in a row. Five Owls are in the top 25 of GolfStat’s rankings, headlined by Katie Warren at #6 (76.1 average); Myriam Hassan is 10th at 76.7. William Woods looks to move up one more spot after placing second at last year’s Championships (22 strokes behind winner Keiser-Fla.). The squad has shot as low as 285 and has been under 300 on seven occasions.
Coastal Georgia is one of the eight teams to earn an at-large bid to nationals. The Mariners did not qualify for the Championships last year, but finished in sixth place two years ago. CCG is paced by the NAIA’s top statistical player in Diane Lim, who is sporting a 73.8 stroke average. Sarah Gilliard is also ranked high, holding at #36 (77.9 average). Coastal Georgia’s low round of the year was at 303.
It will be the first time William Penn will see either team this season.
For more information on the Championships, go to http://www.naia.org/SportSelect.dbml?&&&DB_OEM_ID=27900&SPID=100298&SPSID=646853
