BACK-TO-BACK NATIONAL CHAMPIONS! Lynn Claims Second-Straight NCAA Women’s Golf Title
CONOVER, N.C. (Women’s Golf) – For the second-straight season the No. 1 Lynn Fighting Knights are bringing the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championship trophy back to Boca Raton. The Fighting Knights’ Louise Manalo claimed the individual national championship, while teammate Jessica Bradley finished in second.
Lynn took the title with a four-round score of 1164 (+28). The Fighting Knights finished the tournament with a championship-low 282 in the final round.
No. 3 Barry finished runner-up with a team score of 1193 (+57), while No. 2 Rollins finished in fourth with a total score of 1212 (+76) to give the Sunshine State Conference three of the top-four teams in the final standings.
Teams from the SSC have now claimed the last 15 NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championships since 2000, and a conference team has also been the national runner-up 12 times during that span.
Lynn’s Manalo shot a four-round score of 287 to edge teammate Bradley by one stroke. Manalo shot a 68 (-3) in the final round to claim the individual title. Bradley finished with a total score of 288 and shot a 69 in round three for her championship low.
Saint Leo’s Marie Coors competed as an individual after tying for the South Region individual championship. Coors finished the national championship tied for eighth with a four-round score of 296. The freshman opened with a first round 72 (+1) and was a top the leaderboard during the early rounds of the championship.
Lynn’s Samantha Smolen rounded out the top 10 with a four-round score of 297. Smolen’s low score was a 73 (+2) in the fourth round.
All five of Barry’s golfers finished in the top-23 and within three strokes of one another. Nicky Ferre (300) finished 16th, Maria Paola Fiorio (301) and Nancy Vergara (301) both finished 17th, Daniela Murray (302) finished 19th and Martina Bertuccioli (303) finished 23rd.
The Tars’ top finisher was Momo Sakuragi with a total score of 302 to tied for 19th.
Florida Tech’s Johanna Larsson finished tied for 31st with a total score of 305.