Women's Golfers Post Best Individual, Team Finish Ever at ACCs
4/16/2006 8:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
April 16, 2006
PINEHURST, N.C. - Katie Trotter and Katie Stepanek became the first University of Maryland players to finish in the top-10 individually, while leading the Terrapins to their best team finish in school history during Sunday's final round of the 2006 Atlantic Coast Conference Women's Golf Championships.
The 54-hole tournament was played at the famed Pinehurst No. 8 course.
Trotter shot a 3-over-par 75 on Sunday to finish fifth individually at 224. Stepanek was one stroke behind her teammate and placed in a tie for sixth overall. Maryland showed great balance for the second straight day as each of the five players posted scores under 80 on the difficult course.
Maryland's best previous team finish was fifth in 2000 and 2001, but the league had five and six teams, respectively, in those years. The fourth-place finish yesterday was the first time in the seven-year history of the program the Terrapins had climbed that high in the standings.
Individually, both Trotter and Stepanek each bested Maryland's previous-best finish, as Marie Harper and Katie Redeker each tied for 11th in the 2001 championship.
Also for Maryland on Sunday, Kelly MacWhinnie posted the best of her three rounds with a 76 to tie for 26th overall at 235, while Kelly Calkin had her third straight 79 to tie for 32nd at 237. Jessica Reno fired a 78 for the Terrapins on Sunday.
Duke, ranked No. 1 in the nation, won its 11th straight and 14th team championship, finishing at 885. The Blue Devils finished with a 294, matching their first-round total for the best team score of the event.
Duke freshman Amanda Blumenherst won the medalist honor, finishing at 212 following a closing-round 72 on Sunday. Her total was seven shots better than Virginia's Leah Wigger, who finished with a 71 en route to a 219 total and second place.
As a team, Maryland finished at 917, three shots better than Wake Forest and one shot better than Florida State. The Seminoles were ranked 34th in the nation coming into the event. Maryland finished better than both NC State (38th) and North Carolina (40th), which were both among those teams ranked in the latest Golfweek ratings.
Maryland will await word in early May as to whether it will earn a bid to the NCAA Women's Regional Tournament. It would be the Terrapins' first NCAA berth in the history of the program.
TEAM STANDINGS
1. Duke 294-297-294--885; 2. Virginia 308-300-296--904; 3. Wake Forest 314-302-298--914; 4. MARYLAND 308-304-305--917; 5. Florida State 302-307-309--918; 6. NC State 302-312-206--920; 7. North Carolina 315-306-307--928; 8. Miami 316-310-307--933; 9. Boston College 330-323-314--967.
MARYLAND SCORES
5. Katie Trotter 72-77-75--224; T6. Katie Stepanek 75-74-76--225; T26. Kelly MacWhinnie 82-77-76--235; T32. Kelly Calkin 79-79-79--237; Jessica Reno dns-76-78--154.
