Titans To Compete At WIAC Championship

UW-Eau Claire aims for its second consecutive crown when seven schools tee it up for the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women’s Golf Championship. The 15th annual event will consist of 54 holes at Bull’s Eye Country Club in Wisconsin Rapids from Friday-Sunday (Oct. 8-10).

The Blugolds own a conference-high six championship trophies and won last year’s title with 963 strokes. UW-Whitewater was second with 1,005 strokes, UW-Stevens Point third with 1,039, UW-Stout fourth with 1,059, UW-Platteville fifth with 1,077, UW-Oshkosh sixth with 1,128 and UW-River Falls seventh with 1,135.

UW-Eau Claire is ranked second in the NCAA Division III by the National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA). The Blugolds are led by junior Emily Swift, who has posted a league-best 79.1 stroke average. She claimed All-WIAC first team honors a year ago after claiming second team status in 2008.

Also producing consistent scoring in the Blugold lineup are juniors Sara Mattes (80.8), Katie Maurer (81.8), Lauren Gault (82.9) and Jamie Hauser (84.5), along with sophomore Catherine Wagner (81.6). Maurer is the two-time defending WIAC individual champion and could become the first three-time winner in league history. She captured All-WIAC first team laurels the past two seasons.

UW-Whitewater is ranked 18th in the latest poll and should provide UW-Eau Claire’s strongest competition at this year’s championship. Sophomore Mary Donohue boasts a team-best 82.4 scoring average.

The Warhawks have also received solid showings from Melissa Ellis (84.6), Alexa Campanile (86.1), Melanie Helgeson (86.2) and freshman Gianna Tenuta (86.7). Ellis claimed medalist honors at the UW-Whitewater Fall Fling and the UW-Stevens Point Mad Dawg Invitational.

UW-Stevens Point junior Danelle Olson owns a team-best 81.9 stroke average and captured medalist honors at the UW-Oshkosh Invitational. She has claimed All-WIAC second team status the past two seasons. Mary Welch was the top finisher at the UW-Platteville Invitational and carries an 84.4 average into this year’s championship.

Other individuals averaging less than 90 strokes this season include: UW-Oshkosh’s Kim Sippl (Jr • Omro) at 87.6, UW-Platteville’s Tricia Pawelski (87.3) and Kellsey Welter (88.6), UW-River Falls’ Mackenzie Casey (89.9) and UW-Stout’s Becca Eggers (84.3), Kristine Connell (87.8) and Monta Sokolovska (89.0).

The Titans’ roster this year also includes Amanda Bingham (So. • Mukwonago), Alyssa Chase (So. • Sun Prairie), Coree Georgenson (So. • Stevens Point), Theresa Henke (Fr. • Wisconsin Rapids), Sarah Sheldon (Fr. • Janesville) and Kailee Wahler (Fr. • Twin Lakes).