Howey-In-The Hills, Fla. – The fourth ranked Dalton State women’s golf team finished second in the first annual Golfweek NAIA Spring Invite held at the 5,980 yards, Par 72 Los Colinas Course at Mission Inn Golf and Tennis Resort.
The Roadrunners (307-316 = 623) finished ahead of the NAIA’s top two teams. They had the third best Sunday round to end the 36-hole tournament ten strokes behind third ranked William Woods University (302-311 = 613) from St. Louis. Top ranked Keiser University (Fla.) (314-310 = 624) finished one stroke in back of Dalton State.
“I’m really proud of the girls,” said Coach Jim McGrew. This was a championship preview field and to come down and finish second should give us a lot of confidence moving forward. We have had a great regular season and finished 65-2-1 in this portion of our schedule against NAIA teams. We still have some things to work on and that’s where our focus will go as we try and repeat as conference champions.”
Katie Warren (72-74 = 146) of William Woods is the tournament individual medalist. Dalton State’s Julia McQuilken (71-76 = 147) was just one stroke back in second. Diane Lim (75-75 = 150) of Coastal Georgia and Franzi Knoetsch (74-76 = 150) tied for third.
Caroline Griffin (75-76 = 151) was fifth. Katie Dalton (81-78 = 159) moved into a tie for 16th. Rachel Rebne (80-86 = 166) tied for 34th. Carly Shane (89-92 = 181) tied for 55th. There were 64 individual players.
No. 7 South Carolina Beaufort (314-320 = 634) and (12) Wayland Baptist (318-317 = 635) topped (2) SCAD Savannah (324-312 = 636). Thomas University (Ga.) (320-330 = 650) finished seventh. Two SSAC women’s teams were next. (19) William Carey University (Miss.) (327-325 = 652) finished 8th and (9) Coastal Georgia (325-332 = 657) was also ninth at Howey-In-The Hills. Southeastern University (Fla.) 336-346 = 682), Grand View University (Iowa) (341-350 = 691), and Webber International (Fla.) (344-348 = 692) rounded out the field.
The Dalton State women defend their title at the Southern States Athletic Conference Championships on Monday and Tuesday (April 11-12) at the Montgomery (Ala.) Country Club.
The No. 16 Dalton State men’s golf team (313-314-306 = 933) finished 10th in the invite.
The two-day, 54 hole tournament was played at the 6.763 yards, Par 73 Mission Inn Golf and Tennis Resort with defending NAIA national champions Coastal Georgia (292-294-293 = 879) dominating the field.
Austin Hughes (74-81-74 = 229) led Dalton State golfers, finishing tied for 21st. Dalton Johnson (79-74-77 = 230) was one stroke back and tied for 24th. Chase Jones (78-83-77 = 238) and Adam Morris (82-78-78 = 238) tied for 47th. Levi Nix (83- 81-79 = 243) finished 56th in the 67-golfer field.
Coastal Georgia’s Dillon Brand (72-72-73 = 217) was individual medalist. His Mariners teammates Trevor Smith (71-73-76 = 220) and Seth Sanders (74-75-71 = 220) tied for second.
1. Coastal Georgia 292-294-293 = 879
2. William Woods 297-298-301 = 896
3T. Johnson & Wales (Fla.) 304-295-301 = 900
3T. Wayland Baptist 299-304-297 = 900
5. Keiser University 303-305-302 = 910
6T. Grand View University 309-302-309 = 920
6T. South Carolina Beaufort 313-303-304 = 920
8. Webber International 310-311-305 = 926
9. Southeastern University 304-318-308 = 930
10. Dalton State 313-314-306 = 933
11. Johnson & Wales (B) 332-316-315 = 963
13. SCAD – Savannah 326-332-319 = 977
The Dalton State men will defend their SSAC Championship on April 15, 16, and 17 at the Montgomery (Ala.) Country Club.