Women's Golf Heads To NCAA Central Regional Championships

May 3, 2005

EAST LANSING, Mich. -

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Site: Lubbock, Texas
Dates: May 5-7, 2005
Tee Times: 7:30 a.m. EDT on Thursday, 7:30 a.m. EDT on Friday and 7:30 a.m. EDT on Saturday
Host: Texas Tech University
Course: The Rawls Course (par 72, 6,328 yards)
Tournament Format: 54 holes total (18 holes on Friday, 18 on Saturday and 18 on Sunday)
Tournament Field (21 Teams): No. 3 Auburn, No. 20 Arkansas, No. 4 Arizona State, No. 31 Baylor, No. 36 Kent State, No. 12 LSU, Long Island, No. 27 Michigan, No. 39 Michigan State, No 18 Missouri, Notre Dame, No. 14 New Mexico, No. 33 Purdue, No. 47 South Florida, No. 32 Southern Methodist, No. 21 Texas, No. 38 Texas A&M, Texas Tech, No. 28 TCU, No. 22 Tulsa and No. 15 Wake Forest. (Golfweek/Sagarin top-50 rankings as of April 26, 2005)
Individuals (3): Louise Kenney (Iowa State), Emily Milberger (Oklahoma), Merynn Ito (Nebraska).

The Michigan State women's golf team heads to the 2005 NCAA Central Regionals this weekend (May 5-7) at The Rawls Course on the campus of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. MSU finished third at last season's Central Regional, on its way to the NCAA Championship.

LAST TIME OUT - Michigan State last hit the links at the 2005 Big Ten Championship at the University of Michigan Golf Course in Ann Arbor, Mich., April 22-24. Poor weather conditions and snow on the ground forced the championships to cancel the final day of tournament action, making the second day's results final standings.

The Spartans finished in third place in the 11-team field, shooting a 933 (306-306-321). Sophomore Heather Rose paced the way for MSU, finishing in a tie for fourth. The outing was Rose's best of the season.

All told, MSU placed four golfers in the top-20 individual leaderboard on way to its second consecutive third-place finish in as many years at the conference championship.

SEASON SPOTLIGHT - The Spartans have appeared in 10 events this season, including one post-season outing at the 2005 Big Ten Championship (April 22-24). All told, the Green and White have posted seven top-10 finishes including its first tournament title of the year at the final event of the season, the Lady Buckeye Invitational. MSU also finished in the top 10 at the Lady Northern Invitational (fourth - Sept. 11-12); Mary Fossum Invitational (second - Sept. 18-19), Lady Paladin Invitational (seventh - Oct. 22-24), Central District Classic (eighth - Feb. 21-22), Liz Murphey Invitational (tied for eighth - March 25-27) and Buckeye Invitational (first - April 16-17).

IN THE RANKINGS - Michigan State enters the 2005 NCAA Central Regional ranked 39th in the nation. Of the 21 teams appearing at the NCAA Central Regionals, 18 are ranked within the top 50 by Golfweek/Sagarin (as of April 26, 2005). The only teams which are not ranked within the top 50 are host Texas Tech (No. 51), Notre Dame (No. 57) and Long Island (No. 201).

ENDING THE SEASON RIGHT - MSU took home its first tournament title of the season at its final regular-season outing, the Lady Buckeye Invitational (April 16-17). The Spartans carded a three-round 886 (293-295-298) and led the rest of the field by nine strokes.

Rachel Meikle continued her late season tear, as she paced the way for the Green and White, finishing in sole possession of second. The finish is the best of her young career and her first collegiate top-10 showing.

Alongside the performance of Meikle, Sara Brown had an impressive outing as well. The only true freshman to have made an appearance in each of the Spartans' 10 outings of the year, finished 10th.

All told, five of Michigan State's six golfers finished in the top-20 on the individual leaderboard.

FOUR VETS AND A ROOKIE - At this year's NCAA Central Regional Championship, MSU's roster will consist of four veterans and one rookie making the voyage to Lubbock. Junior Dayna Burleigh will make her third appearance in as many years at the NCAA Regionals, while sophomores Heather Rose, Rachel Meikle and Mandi McConnell will each be making their second straight outings.

Freshman Sara Brown will be the lone Spartan making her first collegiate appearance at the NCAA Regionals. Brown has appeared in each of MSU's 10 outings this season, including her first post-season showing at the Big Ten Championships.

REGIONAL OUTINGS ARE HOT IN EAST LANSING - The NCAA Regionals have been a trend for the Spartans in recent years. The 2005 season marks Michigan State's seventh consecutive trip to the NCAA Regional Championship. This dates back to 1999 when the team made their first-ever trip to the event.

All told, under head coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll, State enters this weekend with four top-10 finishes in six appearances in regional play. This total does not include this weekend's action. Last year, the Spartans equaled their best-ever showing at NCAA Regionals, finishing third. State also placed third in 2001.

FRESHMAN PHENOM - Freshman Sara Brown (Tucson, Ariz.) has made a tremendous impact for Michigan State in her first season of collegiate golf. Entering the year as a highly sought recruit, Brown has blossomed under pressure and earned a starting position on the Spartans' traveling roster.

In the regular-season finale, she finished 10th at the Lady Buckeye Invitational with a 225. All told, Brown has two top-10 finishes on the season, with her best showing coming at the Lady Paladin Invitational (Oct. 22-24), where she tied for ninth.

In her first collegiate post-season outing at the 2005 Big Ten Championships (April 22-24), Brown finished tied for 34th.

LOOKING AT THE STATISTICS - Sophomore Rachel Meikle currently paces the Spartans with a 77.25 stroke average. Last season, Meikle finished the year with a 78.85 stroke average, as she has made a 1.60 by stroke average improvement from one year ago.

Fellow sophomore Mandi McConnell sits second on the team in season stroke average, registering a 77.27 in 10 events played. She has improved almost two full strokes on last season's 78.94 average.

Rounding out the roster, Heather Rose has a 77.63 average, good for third on the team, while Sara Brown (77.90) and Dayna Burleigh round out the top-five stroke averages.

TWO FOR ONE DEAL - Four different Spartans have led the team in individual finishes twice throughout the 2004-05 season. Sophomore Mandi McConnell paced the way for MSU at its first outing, the Lady Northern Invitational, as well as tying for the team lead at the Central District Classic.

Fellow sophomore Heather Rose led the way at the Mercedes-Benz Intercollegiate, alongside tying for the team lead at the Central District Classic.

Freshman Sara Brown finished on top in back-to-back occasions, closing out the fall season at the Lady Paladin Invitational, while opening the spring season at the Northrop Grumman Invitational.

Lastly and most recently, sophomore Rachel Meikle paced the way for the Green and White, topping MSU at the Liz Murphey Invitational, as well as the Lady Buckeye.

MAKING THE CUT - Only three Spartans have appeared in each of MSU's 10 tournaments on the season. Sophomores Heather Rose and Mandi McConnell, as well as freshman Sara Brown have each made the traveling roster for State in every tournament outing of the year.

Brown is the only freshman to have done so this season and is the first freshman since Rose, who appeared in each of the Spartans' 12 events in 2003-04.

YOUTH SERVES AS A DRIVING FORCE - Youth has served as the driving force behind this season's women's golf team. The Spartans do not have a senior on their roster and only have four juniors to their name, one makes the trip to Lubbock this weekend, in veteran Dayna Burleigh.

Sophomores Mandi McConnell, Heather Rose and Rachel Meikle have each stepped up to the forefront and have gained a great deal of experience this season, given their chance to earn some playing time. Alongside the solid sophomore class, red-shirt freshman Kristen Polanski and true freshman Sara Brown have each become steady contributors to the team.

All told, MSU has zero seniors, four juniors, four sophomores, one red-shirt freshman and two true freshmen on the squad.

WGOLF SIGNS TWO TO NLI'S - Michigan State women's golf head coach Stacey Slobodnik-Stoll has announced the signing of two new student-athletes to National Letters of Intent. Holly Niederkohr (Marysville, Ohio) and Carly Hunt (Easton, Pa.) will join the Spartans for the 2005-06 season.

"We are very excited to be able to sign two great Spartans for the 2005-06 recruiting class," said Slobodnik-Stoll. "Both Holly and Carly are good students and good athletes. We are looking forward to this duo as they join our squad next fall."

Niederkohr has been a regular on the American Junior Golf Association's summer tour for the last couple years. She won her first AJGA tournament at the age of 14, taking medalist honors at the AJGA Compaq Jr. All-Star Classic at Kingwood. Since then, Neiderkohr has excelled on the junior golf circuit. Her most recent accomplishment on the summer tour came at the 2004 Memorial Junior Championship, where she finished in second-place.

Alongside a strong summer of junior golf, Niederkohr also boasted strong finishes at the Westfield PGA Junior Championship, as well as finishing runner-up in Ohio's High School Championships this past fall.

Hunt will join the Spartan roster with a good deal of junior golf experience as well. She has been a regular on the AJGA tour for the past couple of years. Her best finish of the summer came at the Boyne Highlands Junior Championship, where she finished tied for eighth. Hunt, whose mother and grandparents are Michigan State alumni, spent her junior year of high school in Deerfield Beech, Fla., in order to improve her game.

Both Niederkohr and Hunt come to Michigan State with high expectations for their golf careers as well as their academic futures. Hunt carries a 4.0 GPA into her first year at MSU, while Niederkohr was recently named one of 10 HP Scholastic Junior All-Americans by the AJGA, alongside being named to the Laura Diaz/FCWT Academic All-America team.