Top-ranked Bees Claim Women's Golf Title
Justin Jarrett
Complete Results
OKATIE, S.C. — Led by repeat individual champion Alazne Urizar, top-ranked SCAD Savannah claimed the team title at The Sun Conference Women's Golf Championship on Tuesday, finishing the 36-hole event at 627 to edge No. 7 Embry-Riddle by three shots.
No. 13 USC Beaufort finished third at 639, followed by 10th-ranked Northwood (643), Webber International (683) and Warner (721). Thomas and Johnson & Wales each entered only three players, so they did not record a team score.
SCAD Savannah also claimed two of the three superlative awards, as Urizar was selected as the conference Player of the Year and Amanda Workman was named Coach of the Year. USCB's Kelli Nakano won the Champion of Character award.
Urizar carded rounds of 3-over-par 75 each day to claim a one-shot victory over Embry-Riddle's Connie Pitenis (78-73—151), whose 1-over 73 in the final round matched Nakano's final round for the best round of the tournament.
SCAD Savannah's Sofia Molinaro (77-77—154) finished third, followed by Embry-Riddle's Sophie Olley (81-74—155). USCB's Samantha O'Donnell (78-78—156), Northwood's Micaela Johansson (81-75—156) and Thomas' Jessica Macphee (80-76—156) tied for fifth.
The weather was much more favorable Tuesday than Monday, when winds of more than 25 mph made for difficult scoring conditions. The average score Tuesday was 84.61, more than a shot lower than Monday's 85.92 average.
The teams now await the announcement of the NAIA Women's Golf National Championship qualifiers on May 9. The national championship will be held at Wilderness Ridge Golf Club in Lincoln, Neb., from May 21-24.
Academic All-Conference
Paige Moffat, JWU
Alazne Urizar, SCAD
Elva Jiang, SCAD
Jessica Macphee, TU
Jessica Thunberg, TU
Kelli Nakano, USCB
Kaitlin O’Sullivan, USCB
Samantha O’Donnell, USCB
Mikaela Lyander, WIU
Johanna Spals, WIU
All-Conference
Connie Pitenis, ERAU
Sophie Olley, ERAU
Pia Jenko, ERA
Tarah Winfield, NW
Alazne Urizar, SCAD
Sofia Molinaro, SCAD
Alexa Osbourn, SCAD
Jessica Macphee, TU
Kelli Nakano, USCB
Kaitlin O’Sullivan, USCB
Superlatives
Coach of the Year: Amanda Workman, SCAD
Player of the Year: Alazne Urizar, SCAD
Champion of Character: Kelli Nakano, USCB