Titans Among Contenders For WIAC Golf Title
UW-Oshkosh seeks its second WIAC women's golf title in three years this weekend in Reedsburg. The three-day, 54-hole WIAC Championship (Presented by Culver's) begins at noon Friday (Oct. 6) at the Reedsburg Country Club.
The 22nd edition of the WIAC Championship continues Saturday (Oct. 7) and concludes Sunday (Oct. 8). Saturday's and Sunday's action commences at 10 a.m.
The winner of the WIAC Championship earns the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Championship that will be held May 8-11 in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla.
UW-Oshkosh will aim to dethrone defending WIAC champion UW-Stout, which claimed the 2016 league title by just five strokes over the runner-up Titans. The Blue Devils clinched their third league championship after overcoming a five-stroke deficit to UW-Oshkosh entering the final round.
Last season, UW-Stout won the WIAC's automatic berth by compiling daily scores of 340-322-318 for a total of 980 strokes. UW-Oshkosh registered scores of 337-320-328 for a total of 985.
Rounding out last year's league championship standings were third-place UW-Whitewater with 1,005 strokes, fourth-place UW-Eau Claire with 1,033, fifth-place UW-Platteville with 1,061, sixth-place UW-River Falls with 1,102 and seventh-place UW-Stevens Point with 1,114.
UW-Oshkosh, UW-Stout and UW-Whitewater are once again expected to be the top contenders for the 2017 WIAC title. UW-Oshkosh has won four WIAC championships (2000, 2002-03 and 2015) while UW-Stout has claimed three (2012, 2014 and 2016) and UW-Whitewater two (1996 and 1999).
UW-Oshkosh opened the season with a runner-up showing at its own Titan Classic, finishing nine strokes behind UW-Stout. The Titans then placed 11th among 20 teams at the Wartburg College (Iowa) Invitational, fifth at the 17-team Illinois Wesleyan University Invitational and third at the 13-team UW-Stevens Point Mad Dawg Invitational.
The Titans are led by Hannah Braun, Micayla Richards and reigning WIAC Player of the Year Kayla Priebe. Braun, who won the individual title at the UW-Oshkosh Titan Classic, is averaging a team-leading 78.5 strokes per 18 holes while Richards is averaging 80.1 and Priebe 81.6. Richards and Priebe both have a pair of top-six finishes at tournaments this year.
Last season, Priebe finished third at the WIAC Championship to pace the Titans while Richards tied for fifth place and Braun tied for seventh.
UW-Oshkosh's lineup at the WIAC Championship will also feature Keara Richards and Dianna Scheibe. Keara Richards is averaging 86.6 strokes per round and Scheibe 90.5. Scheibe placed 13th at last year's league tournament.
Titans Ireland Dunne, Sophia Mazurek, Michelle Lodholz and Hanna Rebholz will compete as individuals at the WIAC Championship. Rebholz and Dunne, who finished tied for 19th and 38th at the 2016 league tournament, respectively, are both averaging 88.3 strokes per 18 holes while Mazurek averages 95.5 strokes and Lodholz 102.3.
UW-Stout has finished among the top three teams at each of its five events this season. The Blue Devils won tournament titles this season at the UW-River Falls Invitational, the UW-Oshkosh Titan Classic and the UW-Stevens Point Mad Dawg Invitational. UW-Stout also finished second at the Wartburg College Invitational and third at the NCAA Division III Midwest Classic.
Rachel Hernandez, the 2016 WIAC individual runner-up, leads UW-Stout this season with a 79.1 stroke average. She set a school record for lowest 18-hole score (70) and 36-hole score (145) at the Wartburg College Invitational.
The Blue Devils' lineup also features Marie Allo (83.9 stroke average), Alexa Filipiak (83.9), Trystin Kluess (83.2) and Madison McCambridge (82.0).
UW-Whitewater's Ashley Hofmeister, the defending WIAC individual champion, boasts a league-leading 78.4 stroke average. She won medalist honors this season at the Carthage College Shootout, the UW-Whitewater Invitational and the Mad Dawg Invitational.
Vying to complete the Warhawks lineup are Breanna Bertschinger (91.8 stroke average), Kaitlin Bowe (84.9), Hayley Jefferson (90.8), CheyAnn Knudsen (79.7), Maddie McCue (81.6), Sabrina Schreck (88.3) and Kelly Storti (84.5). Knudsen established a 36-hole school record with a 148 at the Wartburg College Invitational.
UW-Eau Claire owns a conference-high nine championships (1998, 2001, 2004-06, 2009-11 and 2013). The Blugolds have received strong showings this fall from Allison Chomniak (84.0 stroke average), Megan Glaeser (87.9), Molly Lattery (84.4), Jessica Rudnicki (87.0) and Ashli Stolen (84.1).