Gustavus Adolphus women’s golfer Kimbra Kosak (Grand Rapids, Minn. / Grand Rapids) has been selected to participate as a member of Team USA in the inaugural USA China Friendship Cup July 27-29 at Oak Valley Golf Club in Beaumont, Calif. The American team will consist of eight men and four women — all true freshmen during the 2005-06 academic year.
Kosak, a first-year, received the nod after being tabbed as Division III Freshman Golfer of the Year by the National Collegiate Golf Association (NGCA). Kosak was also named to the NGCA All-Region IV squad. Kosak’s 83.3 18-hole stroke average ranked second on the team to senior Kelli Groff. Kosak posted six top ten finishes during the 2005-2006 season, including tying for medalist honors at the Cobber Open in September and in a dual with Wartburg in April. Kosak added a runner-up medalist finish at the Division III Midwest Classic in late September
Team USA will consist of Kosak, Bronson Burgoon of Texas A&M, Vanderbilt’s Jacqui Concolino, Sam Cyr of Point Loma, Arizona’s Ben Fox, Chris Killmer of Cal. State-Bakersfield, Loyola Marymount’s Brian Locke, Chris Moore of Allegheny, Arizona State’s Jennifer Osborn, Kristi Piepenbrink of Indianapolis, Georgia Tech’s Cameron Tringale and Brett Willis of Central Alabama Community College.
The USA China Golf Council will host the match-play event. Duke’s Dan Brooks and O.D. Vincent of UCLA have been selected to coach the American team. The bi-annual Friendship Cup will be played in Beijing in the summer of 2008 just prior to the beginning of the Summer Olympics, and will return to the USA in 2010.
Gustavus Adolphus finished second at the 2006 NCAA Division III Women’s Golf Championships in May, the highest finish in the history of the women’s golf program. The Gusties were making their third trip to the NCAA Championships in the six-year history of the event. Gustavus placed seventh in 2003 and sixth in 2004.