Women's Golf Shoots For Seventh MAC Championship Crown This Weekend
4/21/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
2005 MAC Championships
DATES: Friday-Sunday, April 22-24
HOST: Ball State University
SITE: Walden Ponds, Hamilton, Ohio
Par-Yardage: 72 - 7,001 yards
TOURNEY FIELD: Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Marshall, Ohio, Toledo, Western Michigan, Ball State, Northern Illinois
KENT, Ohio - The Kent State womens golf team will look to claim an unprecedented seventh-consecutive league title at the 2005 MAC Championships this weekend, April 22-24 at Walden Ponds Golf Club in Hamilton, Ohio. The Flashes have captured the title each year since the inaugural season of MAC womens golf in 1999.
The Course
For the sixth-consecutive year, Walden Ponds Golf Club will play host to the Mid-American Conference Womens Golf Championship. An upscale 18-hole championship golf course, Walden Ponds is situated on 500 acres in thriving Hamilton, Ohio.
Wedding Shoots For Back-to-Back Medals
Senior Gabby Wedding will look to become the third KSU player to claim consecutive MAC Medals. Wedding won the award last year after setting a new championship record score of 215 (71-69-75), breaking former Golden Flash Martina Gillens 218 set back in 2001. KSUs Jan Dowling (1999, 2000) and Gillen (2001, 02) are the only two to win the award in consecutive years.
Year Winner Score Medalist 1999 Kent State 932 Jan Downing, KSU (225) 2000 Kent State 902 Jan Downing, KSU (220) 2001 Kent State 887 Martina Gillen, KSU (218) 2002 Kent State 891 Martina Gillen, KSU (219) 2003 Kent State 888 Veronique Drouin, KSU (219) 2004 Kent State 902 Gabby Wedding, KSU (215)
Last Time Out
Freshman Tara Delaney recorded the best finish of her career, tying for third with a 75-72-72=221, in leading the Kent State womens golf team to a fourth place finish at the 2005 Lady Buckeye at the par 72 Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio. The Golden Flashes fired a combined 303 in the final round after their 296 in round two put them in a tie for third Saturday. KSU finished with a final score of 310-296-303=909.
The Flashes finished the highest among the seven MAC schools at the tournament. The third place finish for Delaney was her second top 10 finish of the spring season and the fifth overall. Becky Wood tied for 13th and was consistent throughout the tournament with a 77-75-75=227. Gabby Wedding finished tied for 16th after her final round 79 dropped her from 12th place yesterday.
Delaney Tabbed Golfer of the Week - April 19
Freshman Tara Delaney has been named the MAC Womens Golfer of the Week for her play last weekend at the Lady Buckeye in Columbus, Ohio. The honor is the first of Delaneys career and the second honor for the Golden Flashes this season. Delaney recorded the best finish of her career, tying for third with a 75-72-72 (221), in leading the Kent State womens golf team to a fourth place finish at the 2005 Lady Buckeye last weekend. The third place finish for Delaney was her second top 10 finish of the spring season and the fifth overall. Delaney got off to a slow start with a 3-over 75 in the opening round before firing a pair of par 72s in the final two rounds to help Kent State finish fourth, the highest among the seven MAC schools at the competition.
Wedding Named MAC Golfer of the Week - March 29
Senior golfer Gabby Wedding was named the MAC Womens Golfer of the Week March 29 for her stellar play at the Liz Murphey Classic in Athens, Ga. The honor was the first for Wedding this season and the fourth of her career. Wedding recorded her third top 10 finish in as many tournaments this spring, tying for third. Wedding fired a 221 (77-78-69), one stroke back of second place and three back of first place. The Wilmington native shot a 3-under 69 in the final round, her best round of the 2004-05 season and the second-lowest round score of the tournament which included nine teams ranked in the then-Golfstat Top 25 poll.
Trio Among MAC Leaders
Gabby Wedding and Tara Delaney are one-two in the lastest MAC rankings in scoring average. Wedding leads all individuals with a 75.40 round average in 30 rounds of play this season while Delaney is second with a 76.23 round average in 30 rounds. Junior Becky Wood is sixth with a 77.67 in 30 rounds of play.
Wedding Paces KSU
The Golden Flashes most consistent performer without a doubt has been senior Gabby Wedding. The 2004 MAC Medalist and Golfer of the Year spouts a season average of 75.40, the lowest in the MAC, through 10 tournaments. Wedding twice has shot a low-round 69, one stroke shy of her personal-best 68. She also has seven top 10 finishes this season which leads the team. Freshmen Tara Delaney is a close second with five top 10 finishes while junior Becky Wood has two and freshman Kira Meixner one.
Williams Heats Up
Junior Katie Williams shot a season-low round 75 in the opening round of the Lady Boilermaker two weeks ago, eventually finishing 31st, her best of the season and her highest finish since her 23rd place finish at the 2004 MAC Championships. Her career low-round is 72 which she shot twice in 2003.
Freshman FirePower
True freshman Tara Delaney and Kira Meixner are two of the best freshmen golfers in the Mid-American Conference. Delaney averaged a 75.67 in five fall tournaments, shot a career-best 70 in the final round of the Mercedes-Benz Championship and has five top 10 finishes this season. Meixner, who has been bothered by a wrist injury of late, shot a low-round 71 in the second round of the Las Vegas Founders and turned in a stellar performance at the 2004 Joanne Winter Arizona Silver Belle at the Arizona State Karsten Course in Tempe, Ariz. Dec. 28-30, which is regarded by many as one of the top amateur tournaments in the country. Meixner finished tied for fifth overall among a total of 109 participants.
Next Up
Kent State will look for the automatic bid to the NCAA Championships/Central Regional which will be held May 7-9 in Lubbock, Texas.
