Furman sent to Bryan, Texas, Regional
INDIANAPOLIS – The Furman women’s golf team will take part in the NCAA Bryan Regional at the Traditions Course in Bryan, Texas, May 5-7, it was announced on Monday by the NCAA Division I Golf Committee.
The Paladins are part of an 18-team regional field that will battle for a top-six finish and a berth in the 24-team NCAA Championship, which is set to be held May 20-25 at Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Ore. The Bryan Regional field includes six of the top 25 teams in the country, led by third-ranked UCLA, No. 6 Georgia, No. 11 Arizona, No. 14 Kent State, No. 19 Furman and No. 23 Texas A&M.
“It speaks to the strength of our team that we are a No. 5 seed in this regional,” said Furman head coach Kelley Hester, who is in her fourth year at the helm of the Paladin program. “The course at the Traditions Club is similar to our golf course here at Furman, and I am familiar with this course from the 2011 NCAA Championships and look forward to returning.”
Furman, which secured the Southern Conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament by capturing its 15th SoCon Championship earlier this month at Savannah Quarters Golf Club in Pooler, Ga., will make its second consecutive and 19th overall NCAA Regional appearance. The Paladins appeared in 17 straight regionals from 1993, when the regional format began, until 2010. Furman tied for 10th last season at last season’s NCAA East Regional in Raleigh, N.C.
The Paladins, ranked 19th in the latest Golfstat rankings, last reached the NCAA Championship in 2008, when Furman claimed an eighth-place finish at the NCAA East Regional in Athens, Ga., to advance to the NCAA Championship in Albuquerque, N.M.
The Paladins’ lineup will include SoCon Co-Player of the Year Alice Chen, who tied for first place among the individuals at the league championship, SoCon Freshman of the Year and All-SoCon selection Haylee Harford, plus All-SoCon honorees Taylor Totland and Valentina Romero. Sophomore Jacqueline Bendrick will round out the Paladin lineup.
Teams:
1. UCLA
2. Georgia
3. Arizona
4. Kent State (Mid-American Conference)
5. Furman (Southern Conference)
6. Texas A&M
7. TCU
8. Texas
9. SMU
10. Louisville
11. Miami (Fla.)
12. Tulane
13. Campbell (Big South Conference)
14. Indiana
15. Texas State (Sun Belt Conference)
16. Delaware (Colonial Athletic Conference)
17. Lamar (Southland Conference)
18. Quinnipiac (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference)
Individuals:
1. Laura Lonardi, Baylor
2. Alessandra Liu, William and Mary
3. Bianca Pagdanganan, Gonzaga
4. Hannah Wood, Oklahoma
5. Brooke Ferrell, Wisconsin
6. Amy Ihm, Iowa
Chattanooga’s McLennan earns at-large NCAA bid
INDIANAPOLIS – Chattanooga Mocs senior Emily McLennan is one of 24 student-athletes to receive an at large bid to the NCAA Women’s Golf Championships. McLennan and five others head to the NCAA Shoal Creek Regional in Shoal Creek, Ala., on May 5-7.
There are a total of 72 teams and 24 individuals with 18 and six per regional site. Joining McLennan at Shoal Creek Golf & Country Club are Yupaporn Kawinpakorn (Kansas), Fatima Cano (Troy), Sathika Ruenreong (Toledo), Laura Fuenfstueck (College of Charleston) and Pornvipa Sakdee (Kansas).
“I’m really excited to be continuing on this season,” McLennan shared. “It is bittersweet that the team didn’t make it, but it’s great that it is so close because they’ll be able to be there. It’s what we work for all year.”
The top six teams move on to the NCAA Championships on May 20-25 at Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Ore. McLennan competes for one of two berths for the top finishers on non-advancing squads.
“It makes it more difficult as an individual to advance, but I’ll represent Chattanooga and the school the best I can.”
It’s the second time in school history for an individual to make the field, matching Emma de Groot in 2008. The team qualified for the field in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. The 2009 squad advanced to the finals.
McLennan led the Southern Conference with a 73.03 stroke average, earning co-Player of the Year honors with Furman’s Alice Chen. Emily is one of three ladies to accomplish the SoCon Grand Slam with four All-SoCon seasons, Freshman of the Year, medalist and Player of the Year. She also notched two of her three career wins this season.
Shoal Creek Golf & Country Club is just outside Birmingham, Ala. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, it is regarded as one of the top courses in the nation. It played host to the 1984 and 1990 PGA Championships as well as the 1986 U.S. Amateur.
Teams:
1. Alabama (Southeastern Conference)
2. Northwestern (Big Ten Conference)
3. Oklahoma State (Big 12 Conference)
4. California
5. Iowa State
6. Florida State
7. Tennessee
8. Missouri
9. Purdue
10. Notre Dame
11. Vanderbilt
12. Clemson
13. Michigan
14. Middle Tennessee State (Conference USA)
15. New Mexico State (Western Athletic Conference)
16. Eastern Kentucky (Ohio Valley Conference)
17. Oakland (Horizon League)
18. Alabama State (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Individuals:
1. Yupaporn Kawinpakorn, Kansas
2. Fatima Cano, Troy
3. Emily McLennan, Chattanooga
4. Sathika Ruenreong, Toledo
5. Laura Fuenfstueck, College of Charleston
6. Pornvipa Sakdee, Kansas