Oilers Win Regional Title | Advance to National Championship
The 15th-ranked University of Findlay women's golf team captured their first NCAA Division II East Regional title on May 8 at the Pearl Club in Owensboro, Ky. to advance to the NCAA Division II National Championship.
The Oilers, who will be making their fourth trip to the NCAA Division II National Championship and first since 2016, ended the tournament with a 54-hole score of 895 (303, 291, 301). The score was the third-best all-time at Findlay and bettered sixth-ranked Indianapolis, the defending national champions, by eight strokes in the team standings at the event. The Oilers were also 38 strokes ahead of tenth-ranked Grand Valley State, who finished third.
Senior Makenzie Torres paced the Oilers at the tournament and finished as the regional runner-up. Torres shot a three-round score of 221 (+5) at the tournament and was two strokes shy of the top spot, which was held by Indianapolis' Pilar Echeverria. Torres, who had a 77 in round one and a 73 in round two, finished the tournament with a 1-under par score of 71 on Wednesday. The round was the lowest in the field on the third day. Torres also led the field with 12 birdies during the 54-hole competition.
Junior Meredith Wipper tied for third at the tournament with a 222 (+6) while sophomore Kristina Kniesly finished eighth with a 226 (+10). Wipper began the tournament with a 75 and then fired a 2-under par score of 70 in the second round. She then closed the event with a 77. Kniesly meanwhile posted a 74 in round one, which was followed by a 72 in round two. She ended the tournament an 80 on Wednesday.
Senior Samantha Hatter also recorded a top-10 finish for the Oilers, placing tenth with a 227 (+11). Hatter had a 78 in round one and came back with a 76 in round two. She played her best golf in the final round, posting a 1-over par score of 73 to help lift the Oilers to the regional crown.
Freshman Jill Schmitmeyer also competed for Findlay at the tournament and finished 29th with a 237 (77, 77, 83).
As a team, the Oilers recorded a tournament-high 34 birdies and led the field in par-3 scoring at 3.17.
The 2019 NCAA Division II Women's Golf National Championship will be held on May 15-18 at the PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.