SAC Champs clad in Orange and Blue
SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. – The Carson-Newman women’s golf team claimed the program’s third South Atlantic Conference Championship title by moving from third to first at Sevierville Golf Club’s River Course during Tuesday's final round.
SAC Championship Sights and Sounds
The Eagles recorded a final round score of 306, which tied for the fourth-lowest score in the SAC Championship since the inception of the event in 2000. Carson-Newman's three-round total of 936 is also the fourth-lowest score in Championship history. Four of the five Eagles shot in the 70s in the final round, the only team to so during the third round.
Senior Danielle Baiunco (Melbourne, Fla.) finished the tournament in second-place after shooting a final round 75 and finishing with a three-round total of 230 and freshman Elizabeth England (Oakland, Tenn.) finished tied for sixth with a score of 234.
"We knew it was there and to do it in the last round when it mattered and to come back from an eight-shot deficit is fantastic. What a great way to finish the year, like this, to go out on a bang. We knew we were there. We knew we were on the edge, sp the fact that we actually did it is fantastic," coach Suzanne Strudwick said.
Baiunco opened her round with two birdies during her first three holes to kick start her final round. The senior's 75 was her second-lowest round of the season and her second 75 at the Sevierville Golf Club this year.
"That quick start is what did it for me. I had birdie and then I pared and then I birdied and I shot one-under on the front nine. I had a rough back nine, but the wind started to pick up and I knew I had to gain ground wherever I could gain ground. The beginning, the weather wasn't that bad and the wind was down, so I just did what I had to do," Baiunco said.
Baiunco clinched the tournament for her team with a putt on the 18th hole, but before the hole, no one told her that the Eagles were leading by seven strokes.
"It's incredible. I had no idea and then all of a sudden, everyone just storms me and they were like 'we won, we won' and I like was 'no'. I can't believe it but it's an awesome feeling for sure," Baiunco said.
England shot her third straight 78 for a final total of 234. She was a first team All-SAC team member in the regular season and she followed up with a second team All-SAC Championship.
Junior Meridith Hawkins (Powell, Tenn.) finished the tournament with a final round 76, her first score in the 70s this week. Her score of 76 is her lowest score in nine SAC Championships rounds. Hawkins had the second lowest par four scoring during the round as she averaged par. She finished tied for 13th with a score of 240.
Junior Kelli Pemberton (Knoxville, Tenn.) shot a 77 during Tuesday's round to finish tied for 16th. She averaged even par on par fives, which was second-best out of the tournament's 60 competitors.
Junior Rebekah Pruett (Niceville, Fla.) and sophomore Jessica Hart (Roanoke, Va.) finished their tournaments with final rounds of 88 after shooting 74s on Monday. Pruett finished the tournament tied for 32nd and Hart finished in 29th.
Lincoln Memorial's Lindsay Davis claimed the individual honor with a score of 229, one stroke better than Baiunco. Newberry finished second in the team competition and Wingate placed third.
Follow @cnathletics on Twitter to follow the team during the offseason.
1 Carson-Newman 317 313 306 936
2 Danielle Baiunco 76 79 75
T6 Elizabeth England 78 78 78
T13 Meridith Hawkins 81 83 76
T16 Kelli Pemberton 82 82 77
29 Jessica Hart 88 74 88
T32 Rebekah Pruett 90 74 88
Final Standings
1 Carson-Newman 317 313 306
2 Newberry 310 317 316
3 Wingate 3176 306 322
4 Lincoln Memorial 320 321 314
5 Queens 322 308 327
6 Catawba 333 317 323
7 Coker 339 329 342
8 Tusculum 343 334 342
9 Mars Hill 357 346 343
10 Anderson 353 338 362
11 Lenior-Rhyne 361 359 350
Individual medalist, Lindsay Davis - LMU
All-Tournament First Team
Grace Glaze - Queens
Eline Askeland - Newberry
Karly Mims - Newberry
Danielle Baiunco - Carson-Newman
Megan Taylor - Wingate
Mikaela Hadaway - Wingate
Marianna Monaco - Newberry
Caitlin Starrs - Wingate
Elizabeth England - Carson-Newman
_of_Suzanne_Strudwick_story.jpg?max_width=767)
