UW-Eau Claire Claims Third Consecutive Women's Golf Title

Watertown, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire claimed its third consecutive Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) women's golf title following completion of the two-day, 36-hole conference championship, which was held at Windwood of Watertown.

The Blugolds are the first school in league history to win three straight women's golf crowns and also earned the fifth title in school chronicles with additional victories in 1998 and 2001.

UW-Eau Claire posted a team score of 660 in this year's event to outdistance UW-Oshkosh which placed second with 668. The Titans were followed by UW-Whitewater (674), UW-Stevens Point (686), UW-Superior (751), UW-Stout (753), UW-Platteville (800) and UW-River Falls (816).

With the victory, the Blugolds earned an automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Championship, which will be held May 8-11, 2007 at El Campeon Golf Course at the Mission Inn Resort & Club in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida.

Individually, UW-Eau Claire's Torie Ives captured medalist honors after defeating UW-Oshkosh's Jennifer Young in a sudden death playoff on the first hole. Both Ives and Young counted 158 strokes over the 36 holes on the par 72 course. Young entered the second round six strokes behind Ives, but totaled a 79, while Ives counted an 85.

Ives' victory marks the fourth straight season that an individual from UW-Eau Claire has captured medalist honors. Susan Karlman won the event in 2003 and Maggie Loney earned titles in 2004 and 2005.

UW-Whitewater's Stephanie Campbell finished third in this year's meet with 159 strokes and was followed by UW-Eau Claire's Jessica Thompson in fourth with 163 strokes, UW-Eau Claire's Meghan Sobotta in fifth with 166 strokes, UW-Whitewater's Kendall Egnarski in sixth with 167 strokes, UW-Stevens Point's Susie Lewis in seventh with 168 strokes and UW-Oshkosh's Megan Scherg in eighth with 169 strokes.

UW-Stevens Point head coach Matt Interbartolo was voted the Coach of the Year, while UW-Whitewater's Kendall Egnarski received the Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete Award.