Women’s golf better than expected fourth place

By: Mike Wozniak
Contributing Writer

In only its eighth year as a varsity sport, women’s golf is making big strides toward improvement of its program.

The players have been trying to grab a spot at the top of the conference by repeating the success attained in 2002.

The 2002 team was led by Molly McNamara, who now coaches the team and has done so for the past two years.

In 2002, the team’s goal was to topple the strongest team in the conference, Knox College. It succeed at beating Knox in 2002 and during subsequent seasons, but Knox is no longer at the top; that seat is for Illinois College.

The Scots have now set their sights on Illinois College, who have won the Midwest Conference championship for the past three years. The Scots have had great improvement over last year’s showing at the Midwest Conference championships, where only one player broke 100 in a round. This year, players broke 100 in a round on 12 occasions.

The Scots finished fourth overall after being in second at the end of day one. There were several top performers for Monmouth. Senior Kacie Parge had her best round of the tournament on day three when she shot a 91. Parge finished in a tie for 17th overall. Freshman Erica Lange shot under 100 all three days, and had a breakout performance on day one, shooting a 92. Lange finished 21st overall.

Sophomore Jessica Sackville finished just one stroke behind Lange, having her best day on day two.

Freshman Julie Brackmann shot 97, 95 and 100 over the three days, respectively, and finished 23rd overall. Sophomore Heidi Hartshorn and freshman Megan Pickrel each shot 304 and tied for 30th overall.

McNamara commented on the team’s success: “This group has the potential and the desire. They want to be competing against the best, and Illinois College is the natural target. They told me they don’t want Illinois College to win again, and they’re working hard to do something about that.”

This attitude is the kind necessary to unseat a powerhouse like Illinois College. If this trend continues, the Scots will continue to improve for years to come.

Monmouth was the biggest surprise at the women’s golf Midwest Conference championship. The Scots, who finished sixth in the 2005 event were not expected to do much better this year.

Finishing fourth in the conference championship, according to McNamara, was the biggest accomplishment for the team. “We finished just 13 strokes behind second place Grinnell. Over a three-day event, that’s only one stroke per golfer over the course of the event,” she said.

The Scots will return most of their roster next year, with only two seniors currently competing.

Parge will be the biggest loss for the Scots, as she has been the team leader for the past two years.

The performance of the freshman class has made the biggest difference.

Hartshorn and Sackville will be the two veterans in the 2007 season. Freshmen Lange, Pickrel and Brackman will return for their sophomore year and hopefully build on their quick success.

In just eight years, it has been an impressive rise to the top for the Scots’ women’s golf team. Their performance in the Midwest Conference tournament could prove to be huge in the All-Sports championship handed to the Midwest Conference college with the best overall sports program.

Only time will tell where this young and talented golf team will end up.