May 1, 2006
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
The University of Maryland women's golf team earned its first invitation to the NCAA Division I Golf Championship in the seven-year history of the program, the NCAA announced on Monday.
The Terrapins will play in the East Regional on May 11 through 13 at the Bryan Park Golf Course in Bryan Park, N.C. Wake Forest will be the host of the East Regional. The top eight teams in each of three regions advance to the NCAA National Championship, to be held May 23 to 26 at Ohio State's Scarlet Course.
"This is what we've talked about since we started the program," said head coach Jason Rodenhaver, who has been the Maryland coach since the beginning of the program in the 1998-99 season. "This is certainly the biggest day for me in my professional career."
In addition to the unprecedented team news on Monday, the Terrapins also reached an individual milestone. Junior Katie Stepanek was voted to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference Team on Monday, the first Terrapin in the history of the program to receive that honor. Stepanek, a native of Guilford, Conn., was one of 12 players named to the team. She leads the Terps with a 75.5 scoring average in 10 tournaments this season.
Maryland has seen a steady improvement under Rodenhaver, but this season, in particular, has seen a number of signs the Terrapins were poised for a breakout year.
Maryland finished fourth in the ACC Tournament, its best finish in school history. Stepanek won a pair of individual titles in the fall, capturing the Wolverine Invitational and the Taco Bell Intercollegiate. As a team, the Terrapins won two spring tournaments, capturing the Pinehurst Challenge and the Lady Herd / El Diablo Intercollegiate in March.
"The team deserved it, they've worked hard," said Rodenhaver. "In the past, we've had some talented teams, but we've been particularly good this spring. We came out playing well and won at Pinehurst. That really got us on the map."
Rodenhaver said that depth has been a big difference in the 2006 Terrapins. "Instead of depending on one person, every person on the team has had a top-10 finish this year," he said.
Maryland's normal lineup includes three juniors (Stepanek, Jessica Reno, Kelly MacWhinnie) and a pair of sophomores (Katie Trotter, Kelly Calkin).
EAST REGIONAL FIELD
Arizona State, Auburn, Tennessee, Wake Forest, California, Vanderbilt, Virginia, South Carolina, LSU, Florida State, Alabama, NC State, Augusta State, MARYLAND, Furman, North Carolina, Mississippi State, Campbell, College of Charleston, East Carolina, Yale.
