April 17, 2012
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. - The Samford University women's golf team turned in a third-round score of 334 on Tuesday to place eighth at the 2012 Southern Conference Championship, which was held this week at the Moss Creek Golf Club's North Course.
The Bulldogs were paced at the three-day, 10-team postseason tournament by sophomore Natalie Mitchell, who finished the event with a 54-hole score of 240 (80-77-83). Samford's native of Germantown, Tenn., concluded the SoCon Championship tied for 20th place in the talent-laden competition.
Junior Anna Heim and true freshman Bailey Gray also earned top-30 finishes for the Bulldogs this week. Heim fired an 86 on Tuesday and closed out the tournament with a three-round score of 242 (79-77-86). Gray, who was honored as a member of the prestigious SoCon All-Freshman Team following the round, turned in a team-best 79 on day three and finished with a 54-hole tally of 243 (80-84-79).
Samford's Emily Stallings was also honored Tuesday as she was named a member of the esteemed five-member all-freshman team.
Senior Sarah Butts, competing in her final event as a collegiate athlete Tuesday, carded a third-round score of 86 and finished the tournament with a total mark of 247 (78-83-86). She was followed by junior Kayla Turner who notched a three-day compilation of 251 (83-82-86).
Chattanooga earned a three-stroke victory at the 2012 Southern Conference Women's Golf Championship with a final score of 921 (+57). This was the Mocs' third-consecutive championship title in the program's five-year history.
UNCG, which led the field in each of the first two days, finished with a score of 924 (+60). College of Charleston rounded out the top three with a score of 939 (+75).
Chattanooga's Jordan Britt was the 2012 SoCon Individual Medalist with a two-stroke lead, 222 (+6) over UNCG's Fanny Cnops, who shot a 225 (+9). Britt was last year's runner-up to former teammate Emma de Groot. The Mocs and the Spartans finished with two players each in the top five with Maria Juliana Loza (Chattanooga), who finished fourth, and Ana Lucia Martinez (UNCG). Furman's Laura Wearn rounded out the top five individuals.
Furman and Appalachian State rounded out the top five with scores of 950 (+86) and 951 (+87).
Western Carolina finished sixth with a score of 953 (+89). Elon, which was second after the first round, finished seventh with a score if 960 (+96). Samford placed eighth with a score of 970 (+106). Wofford and The Citadel rounded out the team leaderboard with marks of 977 (+113) and 1033 (+169), respectively.
Chattanooga earned the SoCon's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship. The 2012 NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championship field will be announced via a webcast selection show on www.ncaa.com at 8 p.m. (CDT) on Monday, April 30. The selections news release will also be available on the NCAA web site (www.ncaa.com) within 30 minutes after the completion of the webcast.
Tuesday's eighth-place finish at the 2012 SoCon Championship marked Samford's final tournament of the 2011-12 campaign. Butts, the Bulldogs' talented native of Carrollton, Ga., is the lone senior on this season's squad, while Gray, Heim, Alex Jasper, Mitchell, Emily Stallings and Turner will all return next year.
2012 Southern Conference Women's Golf Honors
All-Conference Team
Fanny Cnops, UNCG
Laura Wearn, Furman
Leigh Whittaker, College of Charleston
Ana Lucia Martinez, UNCG
Kathy Boehm, College of Charleston
Martyna Mierzwa, Elon
Vanessa Koechli, College of Charleston
Alexa Rancourt, Furman
Liz Wendt, Furman
Jordan Britt, Chattanooga
Blaire Minter, Western Carolina
All-Freshman Team
Fanny Cnops, UNCG
Bailey Gray, Samford
Mette Kryger, Chattanooga
Emily Stallings, Samford
Sofie Kvarnstrom, Western Carolina
Player of the Year
Fanny Cnops, UNCG
Freshman of the Year
Fanny Cnops, UNCG
Coach of the Year
Emily Marron, UNCG
Final Results - - 2012 SoCon Championship
