The Gustavus women’s golf team fired a final round 316 and finished second at the NCAA Division III Championships with a total of 331-332-322-316–1301. Methodist College won its 13th consecutive national title finishing 19 strokes ahead of the Gusties with a 72-hole total of 317-333-315-317–1282. Katie Schenfeld was the top individual finisher for Gustavus as she placed fifth with a total of 78-83-78-77–316. The tournament was played at Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida (Orlando area).
The Gusties saved their best for last with a blistering 316 on the final day, which was the second lowest single round team score of the tournament behind the 315 that champion Methodist posted on Thursday. Gustavus entered the final round 20 shots behind Methodist, but closed the gap to just five strokes with nine holes left to play. The defending champion Monarchs rallied on the back nine and finished 19 strokes ahead of the Gusties. Individually, Katie Schenfeld and Taylor Drenttel led Gustavus on the final day with identical rounds of 77 (+4). Annie Jackson and Amanda Woodhull both fired rounds of 81 to complete the scoring on Friday. The Gusties began the final round tied for second place with UW-Eau Claire, but the Blugolds fired a team score of 322 to finish in third place six shots behind Gustavus.
Junior Katie Schenfeld (Indianola, Iowa) wrapped up a spectacular Spring season with a fifth place finish at the NCAA Championships. Schenfeld’s fifth place finish is the second best finish by a Gustavus golfer at the national tournament behind Alicia Golembeski, who placed fourth in 2002 (Kimbra Kosak also posted a fifth place finish in 2007). Prior to the start of the tournament, Schenfeld was named a 2010 First Team All-America selection by the National Golf Coaches Association. Amazingly, Schenfeld’s fifth place finish at the NCAA Championships was her lowest finish in five tournaments in the Spring season, which included first place finishes at the Augustana Invitational, the St. Thomas Invitational, and the UW-Eau Claire Invitational. Her season stroke average of 78.17 breaks the school record for single season average of 79.7 held by Kelli Groff (2005-06) and Rachel Roberg (2007-08).
Sophomore Taylor Drenttel (Eagan, Minn.) also concluded an outstanding Spring season with a 12th place finish. Drenttel posted a 72-hole total of 82-80-85-77–324. Drenttel was also honored by the NGCA prior to the tournament as she was named a Second Team All-America honoree. She posted a season stroke average of 79.56, which also breaks the previous all-time best for the program and now ranks second best all-time at Gustavus.
First year Annie Jackson (Fargo, N.D./Shanley) made her first national tournament one to remember as she placed 14th individually with a tournament total of 82-85-77-81–325. Jackson’s 77 on Thursday tied the low round of the tournament by a Gustavus player (matched by Schenfeld and Drenttel on Friday). She finished her first collegiate season with a stroke average of 81.34. She was a First Team All-Midwest Region honoree by the NGCA. Her 14th place finish is the highest finish at the NCAA Championships by a first year player in the history of the program.
Sophomore Amanda Woodhull (Minnetonka, Minn./Hopkins) turned in four solid rounds from the #5 position and finished 36th individually (out of 105) with a tournament total of 89-84-86-81–340. Woodhull jumped up 33 places from a year ago when she finished 69th in her rookie campaign. She finished the year with an 83.7 stroke average.
Senior Kali Griggs (Burnsville, Minn./Visitation) helped the Gusties post their third top three finish in her outstanding career. Griggs, who was honored by the NGCA as a Second Team All-America honoree (for the third time in her career) prior to the start of the tournament finished 52nd individually with a tournament total of 90-88-82-88–348. She finished the year ranked third on the team in stroke average at 80.7. Griggs completes her illustrious career as only the third player in the program’s history to have played in four consecutive NCAA Championships.