Samford Freshman Wins First Collegiate Tournament

Monday, September 18

Hoover, AL

All Day

Samford University

Hoover Invitational

Final Results (PDF)

Samford Freshman Wins First Collegiate Tournament

9.19.23 | Women's Golf

FULL FINAL RESULTS (PDF)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Playing in her first collegiate tournament, Samford freshman Gabi Nicastro won the Hoover Invitational, hosted by UAB on Monday and Tuesday at the Hoover Country Club (par 72, 6,101 yards).

"I never really expected to win it," Nicastro said. "I was just trying to hang with everyone else, and I ended up playing really solid golf to get the win. My goal today was to play boring golf. I hit as many greens as possible, and I knew the birdies would come."

Nicastro finished with a three-round total of nine-under-par 207 (68-71-68), finishing eight strokes ahead of the nearest competitor. The last time a Samford player shot a 68 came at the Pinehurst Challenge when Mary Kate Horton fired a 68 in the fall of 2017.

Bailey Dunstan also finished in the top 10, tying for ninth with a final score of 226 (74-78-74). Christian Williams fired a three-round total of 237 (84-78-75), tying for 38^th, while Kate Joyner came in 40^th at 238 (78-80-80). Anika Richards rounded out Samford's playing five, placing 51^st at 245 (83-81-81).

"I'm really proud of the way we played as a team," Samford head coach Joe Davidson said. "We started slow today and hung in there. The upper classmen played great today, and Gabi winning says a lot about where this program is headed."

As a team, Samford placed fourth out of nine teams. The Bulldogs finished with a three-round score of 907 (303-307-297). Austin Peay won the event with a final score of 890 (291-301-298).

Samford will next compete in the Lady Red Wolves Classic in Jonesboro, Ark., Oct. 16-17.

A full list of scores from Samford's playing five and individuals is below.

SAMFORD PLAYER SCORES
1 Gabi Nicastro: 68-71-68--207
T9 Bailey Dunstan: 74-78-74--226
T38 Christian Williams: 84-78-75--237
40 Kate Joyner: 78-80-80--238
51 Anika Richards: 83-81-81--245

INDIVIDUALS
T18 Grace Engel: 72-83-75--230
T34 Kelley Topiwala: 82-76-77--235
50 Ella Stoll: 85-79-80--244
59 Haley Lockhart: 94-87-82--263

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