Women's Golf Sweeps GLIAC Awards
The University of Findlay women's golf program swept the 2017 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) awards as the league office unveiled their annual postseason honors on April 27. Senior Shelby Warner was named the GLIAC Golfer of the Year, Dominic Guarnieri was tabbed the GLIAC Coach of the Year and Meredith Wipper earned GLIAC Freshman of the Year honors for Findlay.
Warner is coming off of a fourth place finish at the GLIAC Championship after posting a 54-hole score of 232 (76, 74, 82). During the 2016-17 campaign, Warner has recorded eight, top-10 finishes for the Oilers and has won two tournament titles. Her first tournament win came at the Northwood Invitational (10/4) when she posted a two-round score of 144 (73, 71). She then followed with a win at the Dayton Invitational (10/18) when she carded a 141 (74, 67).
Warner ranks 53rd in the nation with a scoring average of 75.92 strokes per round. She is also ranked 13th among all NCAA Division II women's golfers with 55 birdies this season.
The Lima, Ohio native also earned first team all-conference accolades for Findlay this season. She had been a second team all-league pick in each of the past two seasons.
Guarnieri earned GLIAC Coach of the Year accolades for the second time in his career after leading the Oilers to their first GLIAC Championship. Guarnieri captured the honor during the 2014-15 campaign as well.
Guarnieri currently has his team ranked 14th in the nation among all NCAA Division II women's golf programs. The Oilers are also ranked second in the East Region and are looking to secure their fourth-straight appearance in the NCAA Division II National Championship, which will be held at the Findlay Country Club on May 17-20.
Wipper was named first team all-conference as well as the GLIAC Freshman of the Year. She is ranked 95th among all NCAA Division II women's golfers in scoring average at 77.04 strokes per round and is tied for tenth in the nation with 56 birdies on the year. Wipper has also posted six, top-10 finishes for Findlay on the season.
In addition to Warner and Wipper earning first team all-conference honors, sophomores Makenzie Torres and Samantha Hatter also earned a spot on the first team for Findlay. It marked the first time that four golfers from one school earned a spot on the first team since Grand Valley State accomplished the feat during the 2010 campaign.
Torres became the Oilers first women's golfer to win an individual GLIAC championship on April 23 when she fired a 54-hole score of 219 (+3) at the league tournament. Her three-round score of 219 (73, 72, 74) was the fourth-lowest 54-hole score in school history. Her tournament-high 14 birdies enabled her to win the tournament by nine strokes as well.
Torres has also added a pair of runner-up finishes for the Oilers this season as well. She finished second at the Dayton Invitational (10/18) and was also second at Perry Park Spring Fling (3/26). Nationally, Torres ranks 42nd among all NCAA Division II golfers in scoring average at 75.20 strokes per round. Her 66 birdies on the season are the second-most in the nation as well.
Hatter tied for 12th at the GLIAC Championship and recorded three top-10 finishes for the Oilers this season. Her best finish came at the Northwood Invitational when she placed second with a 146 (+6).
Freshman Samantha Kellstrom was also rewarded for her solid play this season as she earned honorable mention all-conference honors. She finished 14th at the GLIAC Championship and her best finish of the season came at the Trevecca Women's Invitational (10/25) when she took tenth.