ANGOLA, Ind. (Blugolds.com) – Led by Catherine Wagner (Jr.-Austin, Minn.) winning the individual national title, the sixth-ranked UW-Eau Claire women's golf team finished in third place after four days at the 2012 NCAA Division III Championship at Zollner Golf Course.
Wagner captured the first individual national title in program history. The Blugolds' previous best finish was tied for third, achieved by Jennifer Prock in 2003. In 2010, Wagner tied for 14th at nationals while tying for ninth last year. She finished with 302 strokes in the 101-golfer field, edging three others who had 303.
As a team, the Blugolds came in third place with 1,255 strokes to tie for the best finish in program history. Eau Claire was also third in 2010 and tied for third in 2005.
Methodist University (N.C.) won its 15th straight title with 1,242 strokes, while DePauw University (Ind.) was second with 1,248. Eau Claire came in third with 1,255 and Centre College (Ky.) was fourth with 1, 256.
Also for the Blugolds, Sara Mattes (Sr.-La Crosse, Wis./Central) tied for 24th place with 314 strokes. Last season she tied for 49th place.
Kate Engler (Fr.-Beloit, Wis./F.J. Turner) and Emily Swift (Sr.-Onalaska, Wis.) tied for 48th place with 323 strokes. Swift tied for 54th last year while this was Engler's first year at nationals.
Maggie Lattery (Sr.-Lake Nebagamon, Wis./Northwestern) tied for 55th place with 326 strokes. During the final round of the championship, Lattery had a hole-in-one on the par-three, 148-yard 17th hole. This year was Lattery's first time competing at nationals.
This was the 12th straight year the Blugolds competed at nationals. Appearing in 12 of the 13 NCAA Division III Championships, the Blugolds are second behind only Methodist University for most appearances. Division III nationals have been held every year since 2000 while Divisions II and III competed in a combined championship from 1996-99.
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