UMAC Women's Golf Championship set for exciting start Thursday

10/5/2016 3:43:21 PM

ST. PAUL, Minn.---A year ago, the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) earned its first automatic qualifying bid in women's golf for the NCAA Championships following and exciting conference tournament. The 2016 UMAC Women's Golf Championships should be even more thrilling with new teams among the top of the league and the event is set to begin Thursday at the Alexandria Golf Club in Alexandria, Minnesota.

| Championships Site | Team Previews | Women's Golf Statistics |
* Video courtesy of St. Scholastica Athletics Communications

Following several years without a women's program, the University of Wisconsin-Superior shocked the conference when it assembled a talented squad that won the UMAC title in its first year as a conference member institution. The Yellowjackets won by 15 strokes over Bethany Lutheran College with a score of 1170 (+306). The Vikings carded a total of 1185 (+321) and just edged out the University of Minnesota Morris in third with a scored of 1191 (+327).

This season, the Yellowjackets will need a spectacular three days on the course if they are going to hold off a talented second-year program in the College of St. Scholastica. Finishing fourth a year ago in its debut as a collegiate team, St. Scholastica has dominated the 2016 season winning six tournaments this fall led by the spectacular play of Arica Sheff.

Sheff owns the top four low-round scores this season and is the only player to record scores in the 70s among all UMAC competitors. The sophomore won the first three UMAC Women's Golf Player of the Week awards this fall and boasts five individual tournament first-place finishes.

The Saints' were led by Sheff at the UMAC Preview in early September – an event they won by 19 strokes over Minnesota Morris with a score of 366 (+78). Four Saints placed in the top five to show off for the first time the team's talented lineup. The Cougars came in second with a score of 385 (+97) to edge out defending conference champs Wisconsin-Superior. The Yellowjackets placed third with a score of 403 (+115) which was 20 strokes ahead of the University of Northwestern in fourth.

Behind St. Scholastica's winning ways, Minnesota Morris and Wisconsin-Superior have consistently battled for second and third among UMAC teams at tournaments this year. The Cougars won the North Central University Invite to add to their successes, while the Yellowjackets beat the Cougars by just seven strokes at the final warm up event before the Championship at the Viking Invite.

This fall, St. Scholastica owns a 366.4 stroke average as a team that is over 25 strokes better than Minnesota Morris at 391.7. The Yellowjackets are collectively over eight strokes back from the Cougars with an average sitting at 400 even. Northwestern in solidly in fourth with an average of 418.7, while Bethany Lutheran sits back in fifth by a significant margin at 449.0.

The Saints enter the tournament as the team favorite with Sheff in place to take medalist honors with a season average of 86.2 – the only player with an average below 90 strokes this fall. The UMAC individual leader could be challenged by three of her teammates, though, as Kylie Slavin, Amanda Broman and Hannah Cornwell rank 3-4-5 in scoring average this season. Slavin is just over 93 strokes per round with Broman just behind with 94.2 and rookie Cornwell at 95.8. Broman is the lone Saint with UMAC Championship experience on the roster and comes into the tournament as the reigning UMAC Player of the Week.

Minnesota Morris could put pressure on the Saints if the Cougars turn in a remarkable stretch of performances but should be contenders for second battling the Yellowjackets. The Cougars will lean on experience junior Kelsey Wattenhoffer who was an All-UMAC selection last season and rides a 91.9 average into the tournament – her mark is the second-lowest among conference competitors. She also tied with Sheff and Broman for first at the UMAC Preview. First-year Allison Bot ranks sixth in the UMAC with an average of 95.9 and Keatelyn Foster rounds out the top 10 at 99.4 strokes per round.

The Yellowjackets may be defending champions, but the team's roster boasts just first-years and sophomores who lack conference tournament experience. The squad's consistency has yielded results, though, this season with the top four players all within less than two strokes of each other for scoring average. First-year Paige Miller owns an average of 99.9, while returner Reggie Semanko is second on the team at 101.0. Ally Busick is third at 101.4 and Abby Clemons is fourth at 101.5.

After placing in the top 15 as a rookie last season, Shelby Eden has had a breakout year leading Northwestern. The sophomore boasts the ninth-best conference scoring average at 97.5 with a low round of 92. Three other players also have averages that are below 110 which could put the Eagles in contention for a top-three finish if four players card excellent scores.

Bethany Lutheran enters the tournament with the fifth-best overall team averages despite a sub-par showing at the UMAC Preview. If Mackenzie Manthei and Denae Walton have three consistent performances, the Vikings should easily slide into the top five. Manthei owns an average of 101.5 and was an All-UMAC performer last season, while Walton sits with a 103.0 average.

Martin Luther College is sixth as team in 2016 with a scoring average of 464.2. The Knights have been lead by solid play of rookie Alison Lindemann. The first-year is just outside the top 10 for scoring with an average of 100.3 while Katheryn Hansen is just below the 110-average mark.

Northland College did not earn a team score in 2015 but has shown dramatic improvement thanks to newcomer Chelsea List. The rookie has set a new school record four times in 2016 and owns an average of 105.8.

Crown College will be without reigning Player of the Year Paulina Dejamco and 2015 medalist Chantelle McCarthy but will need strong play from first-year Hunter Jontz who leads the team with an average of 107.8. North Central University does not own a team score this season but could see first-year Rachel Stevenson sneek into the top 10 after recording and average of 103.2.

The conference tournament is set to tee off Thursday at 11 a.m. in Alexandria. Both women and men will begin at the same time with women starting on the front nine and men on the back nine. All tournament information can be found on the UMAC Championships site including tee times, live scoring information and course information.

Team Previews
| BLC | CC | CSS | MLC | NC | NCU | UMM | UNW | UWS |

Bethany Lutheran College
Matt Fletcher | 1st Season |

2015 Championships
| 2nd Place | 1185 (+321) |

Players to Watch
Mackenzie Manthei, So. | 2015 All-UMAC | 2015 Championships: T-6th, 290 (+74), 2nd team finisher | 2016 Avg.: 101.5 |
Denae Walton, Fy. | 2016 Avg.: 103.0 |
Katelyn Hardtke, So. | 2016 Avg. 114.6 |

Need to Know
- The Vikings are led by first year head coach Matt Fletcher, replacing Ryan Kragh who was named 2015 UMAC Women’s Golf Coach of the Year after leading the team to a second-place finish.
- Bethany Lutheran enters the UMAC Tournament with a 449.0 strokes per round average.
- To begin the season, Mackenzie Manthei brought home medalist honors in the Saxony Cup with a score of 92 (+20).
- At the North Central Invite, Denae Walton finished tied for second place overall with a 97 (+26).

Martin Luther College
Larry Czer | 3rd Season |

2015 Championships
| 8th | 1682 (+818) |

Top Returners
Alison LIndemann, Fy. | 2016 Avg.: 100.3 |
Katheryn Hansen, So. | 2015 Championships: 115 round 1, withdrew in round 1 due to injury | 2016 Avg.: 109.7 |
Elizabeth Mantz, Jr. | 2015 Championships: 26th, 333 (+117), 1st team finisher | 2016 Avg.: 112.3 |

Need to Know
- First-year Alison Lindemann has led the way for MLC with an average of 100.3 in six tournaments. Her low round of the season was a 96 at Gross National GC at the UNW Invitational
- Katheryn Hansen set a new low for her collegiate career with a round of 101 on October 1 at Oakdale GC

Northland College
Nick Weinmeister | 2nd Season |

2015 Championships
| N/A | DNF |

Players to Watch
- Chelsea List, Fy. | 2016 Avg.: 105.8 |
- Kara Winter, Sr. | 2016 Avg.: 113.0 |
- Erin Gilligan, Sr. | 2016 Avg.: 115.0 |

Need to Know
- Northland invited six new golfers in 2016.
- Chelsea List has set a program record four times this season.

University of Minnesota Morris
Jana Koehler | 16th season |

2015 Championships
| 3rd | 1191 (+327) |

Players to Watch
Kelsey Wattenhofer, Jr. | 2015 All-UMAC | 2015 Championships: 11th, 297 (+81), 2nd team finisher | 2016 Avg.: 91.9 |
Allison Bot, Fy. | 2016 Avg.: 95.9 |
Katelyn Foster, Jr. | 2015 Championships: t-9th, 292 (+76), 1st team finisher | 2016 Avg.: 99.4 |

Need to Know
- Kelsey Wattenhofer has the Cougars four lowest rounds of the season and leads the team with six top ten finishes.
- Allison Bot has five top ten finishes including winning medalist honors at the NCU Invitational.
- Four different golfers have at least one top ten finish including Meghan Foley who finished in a tie for 13th at last year’s UMAC Championships.

- Shelby Eden carded a season-best 92 in UNW’s opening dual of the season.

- The Eagles compiled a team-low score of 406 at the UNW Invite Sept. 14.

University of Wisconsin-Superior
Roger Plachta | 2nd season |

2015 Championships
| 1st | 1170 (+306) |
Postseason: 21st at the NCAA Division III Championship

Players to Watch
- Paige Miller, Fy. | 2016 Avg: 99.8 |
- Reggie Semanko, So. | 2015 Championships: 18th, 306 (+90), 3rd team finisher | 2016 Avg: 101.0 |
- Ally Busick, Fy. | |2016 Avg: 101.44 |

Need to Know
- Miller leads UW-Superior with three top-five finishes and four in the top ten while Semanko and Busick have each landed in the top ten three times
- Freshman Abby Clemons and sophomore Maggie Cragg each have a pair of top-ten finishes with both of Clemons’ also in the top five
- Yellowjackets have finished in the top three in five of seven tournaments and top-five in all but one; UWS finished third at September’s UMAC Preview

Schedule

Upper Midwest Athletic Conference

Conference Members

Conference Members

UMAC Women's Golf Championship set for exciting start Thursday