Coral Springs, Florida – The National Golf Coaches Association has announced the 2011-12 student-athlete and coaches awards for Division III Women’s Collegiate Golf, and with that, three Gustavus Adolphus women’s golfers were named to the NGCA All-Midwest Region Team. All-Region recipients representing the Three Crowns include seniors Taylor Drenttel (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) and Ann Jackson (Fargo, N.D.), and first-year Sam Falk (Glenwood, Minn.).
Making her third appearance on the All-Region Team is senior captain Taylor Drenttel. Drenttel led the Gusties with an 80.6 stroke average (22-1773) with two tournament victories and four top-five finishes this season. The senior Drenttel took the Division 3 Classic with a 73-80-153 (+9) on Sept. 17-18 and the Wartburg Invite with a 76-79-155 (+11) on April 21-22.
Fellow senior captain Ann Jackson earns All-Region distinction for the second-consecutive year after turning in the best statistical season of her career. Jackson finished with a career-low stroke average of 80.7 (22-1775), recording five top-10 finishes on the year. The Fargo, N.D. native took home All-Conference distinction for the second time after placing eighth (241, +25) at the 2011 MIAC Championships in October. She also led Gustavus with a 24th place finish at the 2012 NCAA Championships after shooting a 314 (+26).
First-year Sam Falk is one of three rookie golfers from the Midwest district to garner All-Region honors this season. Falk cracked the top-five at three tournaments and finished the year with an 81.0 average (22-1783). The frosh led the Gusties at the MIAC Championships with a third place finish after firing a 232 (+16). She also set a new school record for the lowest 18-hole round with a two-under-par 70 on the opening day of the Augustana Spring Invitational, breaking Kelli Groff’s 2005 record of even-par 72.
The National Golf Coaches Association, founded in 1983, is a non-profit organization representing women’s collegiate golf coaches. The NGCA was formed to encourage the playing of college golf for women in correlation with a general objective of education and in accordance with the highest tradition of intercollegiate competition. Today, the NGCA represents nearly 500 coaches throughout the U.S. and is dedicated to educating, promoting and recognizing both its members and the student-athletes they represent.