Lewis leads Lady'Backs to NCAA Championship

Jump to agate AUBURN, Wash. – For the second time in as many seasons, the 10th-ranked University of Arkansas women’s golf team earned a trip to the NCAA Championship by way of an eighth-place finish at the 2006 NCAA West Regional Championship in Auburn, Wash., Saturday. Arkansas carded a final round 305 finishing with a 911 (299-307-305) just making the eight-team cut to advance. “I’m very happy for this group of athletes to get to the NCAA Championship,” said Arkansas head coach Kelley Hester. “For all that they’ve done and how hard they’ve worked, it would have been a same for them not to make it. Our goal coming into this event was simply to advance. It really didn’t matter where we placed and we’re happy to be moving on.” Sophomore Stacy Lewis emerged as the top finisher for Arkansas firing a one-under-par 71 on the final day. Lewis finished 12th overall with a plus six 222 (77-74-71) while improving in each round. Senior Amanda McCurdy struggled on the final day carding an 83 but finished just 15 over with a 231 (69-79-83) to tie for 47th overall. Senior Courtney Mahon played well in the final two rounds and tied for 63rd overall with a 233 (81-77-75) while senior Lindsey Hinshaw finished tied for 71st with a 236 (77-77-82). Sophomore Ashley Medders posted a final round 77 for the Lady Razorbacks. “In general, we really played quite poorly today,” said Hester, “but on the positive side, we put ourselves in position to do well in the first two rounds. Again, I’m just really pleased to advance and I think we can regroup and make a run at a really good score at the Championship.” The Lady Razorbacks advanced with their eighth-place finish along with No. 8 Purdue who won the event with an 881 (289-294-298). Fifteenth-ranked UCLA finished second at the West Regional counting an 887 (288-303-296) followed by host and 24th-ranked Washington with an 888 (288-303-297). Number 20 Stanford finished fourth overall with an 896 (303-295-298) while No. 5 Georgia was fifth with a 900 (296-302-302). UNLV, ranked 15th, posted a 904 (304-301-299), followed by No. 19 Arizona with a 910 (303-300-307) rounding out the West qualifiers. The Lady Razorbacks join23 other teams at the NCAA Championship May 23-26 at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Qualifying from the Central Regional Championship in their order of finish were No. 6 Southern California, No. 1 Duke, No. 7 Pepperdine, No. 16 Florida, No. 17 Oklahoma State, No. 12 Texas A&M, No. 21 Kent State and No. 43 Nebraska. The East Regional Championship saw No. 9 Tennessee, No. 30 LSU, No. 11 California, No. 33 Florida State, No. 3 Arizona State, No. 4 Auburn, No. 13 Wake Forest and No. 35 Alabama advance. For more information about Arkansas golf please log on to LADYBACKS.COM.