The No. 5 Tarleton TexAnn golf team finished in fourth place
just two strokes out of second place at the 2010 NCAA Division II
National Championship in Mesa, Ariz. for their best finish ever at
the event.
Tarleton finished with 1,222 strokes to finish two
strokes behind second place Rollins (1,220) and one stroke behind
third place Florida Southern (1,221). The TexAnns had finished
fifth twice and sixth last year in their first three trips to the
national championship. Nova Southeastern won the event by 40
strokes with a 1,180.
Tarleton shot a 311, 305, 306 and 300 in the four
rounds at the Longbow Golf Club.
Carla Cooper led the TexAnns after finishing tied
for seventh with a 302 (79-76-73-74). Jacqueline Lau (76-76-79-75)
and Andrea Lowe (83-73-76-74) tied for 13th with a 306 as Lowe, the
lone senior, played in her last event for the purple and white.
Katy Ward tied for 27th with a 311 (74-81-79-77) and Melanie Tham
tied for 36th with a 317 (82-80-78-77).
The TexAnns are the winningest women’s golf
program in NCAA Divisions I, II and III since the 2006-07
season. Tarleton has won 26 tournaments in that span in 40
tournaments, and the TexAnns have finished in the top five in all
but two of those events. The TexAnns are 365-37 in the last
four seasons in head-to-head competition against teams in their
division, including a 298-26 mark in the 2007-08, 2008-09 and
2009-10 seasons.
Angelo State’s Raelyn Smith, who qualified as
an individual, shot a two-over 73 in the closing round to finish
the four-round event in a tie for 18th place in the field of 72
golfers. She finished with a four-round total of 308 (80-78-77-73),
improving each round. Only four other golfers in the field shot a
better final round.
Sonoma State finished fifth with 1,236 strokes,
Grand Valley State was sixth with 1,249 strokes, Cal State-Monterey
Bay finished seventh with 1,254 strokes and California (Pa.) was
eighth with 1,268 strokes. Indianapolis (1,274),
Augustana (1,296), Minnesota State-Mankato (1,307) and Western New
Mexico (1,352) rounded out the competition.
-- release courtesy of Tarleton Sports Information