McKendree Women’s Golf is in the Zone!

The women’s golf team has been notching some serious wins this season. For the first time, the team won back-to-back tournaments, including the Kansas City Cup and Flyer Intercollegiate Tournament. Two first-year students, Waritsara Rungrojanaluk and Chiara Bortolotti, won three individual titles total, and the team’s leader, senior Martina Hicks, earned four top-eight finishes, including second place behind Waritsara. The team concluded their season by finishing in the top five teams at the Bill Crabtree Invitational at The Pearl Club in Owensboro, Ky.

 

Ask Head Coach Mikal Guffey and he’ll tell you it’s been a great season. “I’m proud of all of our student-athletes’ involvement, their desire to improve, and their unselfish support for each other this season,” he said.

 

The team, which has been competing at the NCAA Division II level since 2012, has been under Mikal’s coaching since spring 2016 when he was named interim head coach. He became head coach starting in the 2016-2017 season. He feels that the students’ support of one another is what has helped propel them forward to greater success this season.

 

“Our upperclassmen unselfishly supported and welcomed our first-year class, and this season has been unbelievably positive,” he said.

 

The camaraderie has helped pave the way for the team’s first-years’ success, especially for Waritsara, who scored a 68 with an eagle on her final hole to win her second event this fall at the team’s home event – in front of Athletic Director Anthony Francis and the team, no less.

“That was a very special moment,” Mikal beamed.

 

Mikal is very proud of his team’s accomplishments and hopes that they will achieve their goal next season: to earn a top-4 conference result and regionally qualify for the NCAA tournament. We hope they will, too! Congratulations and best of luck next season, Lady Bearcats!