WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The UW-Eau Claire women's golf team claimed its third straight Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) title following three days of competition at Bulls' Eye Country Club.
The league crown for the Blugolds is the eighth in program history. It also marks the second time they have won three straight first-place trophies - a feat they accomplished from 2004-06.
With the victory, the Blugolds also secured the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Championship which will be conducted May 2012.
The Blugolds won the league title by 54 strokes to finish with 974 overall. UW-Stevens Point was second with 1,028 and UW-Stout was third with 1,029.
A total of four Blugolds finished in the top six, led by Catherine Wagner (Jr.-Austin, Minn.), who took second place with 239 strokes. She finished just one behind the individual medalist, Mary Welch of UW-Stevens Point.
Maggie Lattery (Sr.-Lake Nebagamon, Wis./Northwestern) took fourth with 243, Emily Swift (Sr.-Onalaska, Wis.) was fifth with 246 strokes and Sara Mattes (Sr.-La Crosse, Wis./Central), last year's conference medalist, finished with 250 strokes to take sixth. Kate Engler (Fr.-Beloit, Wis./F.J. Turner) also did well this weekend, finishing tied for 10th with 256 strokes.
Three Blugolds also golfed individually this weekend. Emily Stone (Fr.-Eden Prairie, Wis.) tied for 28th with 272 strokes, Mandi Salo (Fr.-Hermantown, Minn.) was 34th with 281 and Samantha Dvorsak (Fr.-Corcoran, Minn./Rockford) shot 336 to tie for 50th.
Blugold head coach Meghan Sobotta, in her second year, was named the WIAC Co-Coach of the Year with UW-Stout's Howie Samb.
The Blugolds' Swift claimed the WIAC Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete Award. Lattery was name to the All-Sportsmanship Team which was chosen for individuals who displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. It included one member from each school.
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