GREENVILLE, S.C. – Taylor Totland, the reigning Southern Conference Player of the Year and Furman’s 2015 Edna Hartness Female Athlete of the Year, earned Women’s Golf Coaches Association All-America Honorable Mention honors, as announced Friday by the WGCA.
Totland, a sophomore from Tinton Falls, N.J., tied for fifth at the NCAA East Regional to earn a spot in field at the NCAA Championships, becoming the first Paladin to compete at nationals since the Furman team qualified in 2008. She led Furman and the SoCon with a 72.5 stroke average over 33 rounds this season, the best single-season stroke average ever for a Paladin women’s golfer, and won individual medalist honors at both the Lady Paladin Invitational and the SoCon Championship.
Totland’s three-round total in both tournaments marked the best 54-hole scores in tournament history. She helped the Paladins to a current 32nd-place national ranking and the 2015 league championship and NCAA regionals appearance, Furman’s first since 2009. Totland finished among the top 10 individuals in nine of 11 tournaments during the 2014-15 season and among the top 16 in 10 of 11 tournaments.
“Taylor had such a great season and was the model of consistency,” said Furman head coach Kelley Hester, who is in her third year with the Paladin program. “It is hard to believe she is only a sophomore, so I look forward to more good things to come for her. It has been 10 years since Furman women’s golf has had a WGCA All-American, and I think this is one more indicator that the program is headed in the right direction.”
Totland’s honor is the 19th WGCA All-America citation awarded to members of the Furman women’s golf team since Greenville’s own Sherri Turner won the program’s first All-America award in 1979. Totland is the first Paladin women’s golfer in a decade to earn the citation, with Furman’s last All-American honor going to Jenny Suh in 2005.
The criteria used to determine the WGCA All-American teams include head-to-head competition, comparison with common opponents, scoring average, place finishes in regular-season events, tournament wins and strength of schedule.