Final Results
LEXINGTON, Ky. – All five competitors from Findlay’s nationally and regionally ranked program finished eighth or better to complete another successful title run at the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Women’s Golf Championship on Saturday.
The Oilers made it three straight conference championship trophies – each possible year since joining the Great Midwest as a full member institution in 2017-18 – while earning the league’s AQ into the NCAA East Regional.
Findlay carried over a comfortable lead from Friday’s first two rounds of play, but the Big Blue Course was tough on the entire field in today’s final 18 holes.
The Oilers (297-300-304) finished with a 27-stroke margin of victory over tournament runner-up Tiffin as the region ranked Dragons (313-305-310) had a pair of all-conference performers. Trevecca Nazarene moved past Walsh into the fourth place in the final standings while the order of Ohio Dominican, Ohio Valley, Kentucky Wesleyan and Ursuline, didn’t change from the first 36 holes.
This marked the first time in conference history that 54 holes were completed in the women’s tournament with weather playing a key factor in past years that shortened events to two rounds.
The top eight individuals (including ties) were awarded all-conference team status at the conclusion of the postseason event. Nine different players were honored based on the final scoring and the coaches will vote on 7 more along with the individual yearly awards at a later date.
The entire starting lineup for Findlay was on that esteemed all-conference team list, including medalist and freshman Gabby Woods. Woods shared the first-day lead with regular season scoring leader Jill Schmitmeyer.
Woods ultimately had a one-stroke victory over teammate Kristina Kniesly and Schmitmeyer came in solo third. Add Danbi Kim tying for fifth and 2019 championship medalist Meredith Wipper with a share for eighth, and all the ingredients came together for head coach Dominic Guarnieri and his staff.
Woods finished 8-over par for the 54-hole tournament, carding a 77 (+5) to finish things off. She was just the second freshman to win medalist honors at the conference championship since the inaugural event in 2013 by Trevecca Nazarene’s Mikayla Dodson.
Malone’s Christina Williams finished a strong championship effort by finishing fourth and the Tiffin combo of Alice Putoud and Amanda Johansson were rock steady by holding their starting position coming into today.
The biggest leap in the final round leaderboard was from Hillsdale individual Grace Balken, who posted the best round of the day with a 73 (+1). Balken finished top 20 while showing 11 strokes of improvement from Friday’s second round.
The Great Midwest Elite 23 Award was also presented on site during the awards ceremony to Tiffin senior Emily Koehler, who has a 3.95 cumulative GPA in Sports Marketing. She finished 12th individually in the scoring.
The Great Midwest will see which programs will compete in the next step of the postseason at the NCAA East Regional. The Division II Selection Announcement is scheduled for Monday, April 26, through a press release.