The National Golf Coaches Association Announced its Post-Season Awards at the recent NCAA Division III Championships and four Gustavus golfers were honored by the NGCA. Breanne Staples and Rachel Roberg received Second Team All-America honors and Kimbra Kosak received honorable mention All-America honors. In addition, Staples, Roberg, and Kali Griggs were named to the All-Region team. The Gusties finished third at the 2007 NCAA Championships which were held in Howie-In-The-Hills, Florida.
Senior Breanne Staples (Windom, Minn.), who played the #2 position for the Gusties this season, finished her career with a 15th place finish at the NCAA Championships. The four-year letterwinner finished with the lowest stroke average on the squad this season at 81.6. She posted six top-five finishes in 12 tournaments including a second place finish at the MWGCA State Tournament in April. Staples fired a career best 74 in the final round of the State Tournament and missed claiming medalist honors by one stroke. This is the first time Staples has received All-America and All-Region honors.
Junior Rachel Roberg (Rice Lake, Wis.), who played the #1 position, was named the MWCGA Player of the Year. She has posted nine top ten finishes in the 11 tournaments Gustavus competed in during the past season. Roberg earned medalist honors at the UW-Eau Claire Invitational last September and received All-State honors with a fourth place finish at the MWCGA State Tournament She finished the season with stroke average of 82.0. This is the first time Roberg has received All-America and All-Region honors.
Sophomore Kimbra Kosak (Grand Rapids, Minn.), who played the #3 position, received honorable mention All-America honors as result of finishing in the top 15 at the NCAA Championships. Kosak turned in her finest performance of the year at the national tournament as she finished fifth out of 111 golfers with a 72-hole total of 76-77-83-78=314. Her total of 314 set a new school record for lowest 72-hole score. Roberg posted six top ten finishes in 11 tournaments and compiled a season stroke average of 83.0.
First-year Kali Griggs (Burnsville, Minn./Visitation), who played the #4 position, joined teammates Staples and Roberg on the All-Region team. She stepped right into the top five for the Gusties in her first season of play and was named the Freshman of the Year by the Minnesota Women’s Collegiate Golf Coaches Association. Griggs recorded six top ten finishes in 11 tournaments and compiles a season stroke average of 83.7. She earned All-Conference honors with a fourth place finish at the MIAC Championships last October.
The Gusties wrapped up a very successful season with a third place finish (out of 20 teams) at the 2007 NCAA Championships which were held at Mission Inn Golf and Tennis Resort in Howie-In-The-Hills, Florida on May 8-11.