October 2, 2002

MOUNT VERNON, IOWA . . . The 2002 Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) Women’s Golf Championship will be held on Friday and Saturday, October 4-5 at the Centennial Oaks Golf Club in Waverly, Iowa. Wartburg College serves as the host of this year’s Championship.

Eight Schools Participating in Conference Championship: Eight of the 10 Iowa Conference schools are participating in the 2002 Championship. University of Dubuque and Upper Iowa University will not be participating.

About Centennial Oaks Golf Club: Centennial Oaks is a par-72 course and will play at 5,814 yards for the Championship. Each of the eight schools participating in the Conference Championship played Centennial Oaks on the first day of the Wartburg Invitational on September 14. Coe and Luther both carded its low rounds of the year at Centennial Oaks as did several individuals.

Further information on Centennial Oaks, including a copy of the scorecard and a course layout, can be obtained by visiting the course’s web site.

Recap of 2001: Buena Vista University won its second consecutive IIAC Championship as four Beaver golfers finished in the top-12, including the top-three spots. Three-time Conference MVP Debbie Zorn (159) finished first followed by Jen Einck (165) and Betsy Hall (165). Simpson, which has won seven of the previous 10 Championships, finished second and had a Conference-best five All-Conference performers.

Einck and Hall lead a group of eight returning All-Conference players from 2001. Also back are Simpson’s Janelle Claiborne (4th, 168), Amber DeRiemacker (6th, 174), Karen Smith (7th, 174) and Senta Willenborg (8th, 174), and Loras’ Katrina Hammell (5th, 173) and Megan Reiter (10th, 176).

A complete team-by-team preview follows.

BUENA VISTA UNIVERSITY BEAVERS
2001 Finish – 1st (343-326 – 669)

About the Team: Buena Vista finished in the top-six of each of the seven tournaments in which it participated including one championship and two second place finishes. The Beavers enter the Conference Championship on the heels of a victory at the BVU Beaver Classic. They also had second place finishes at the Morningside and Luther Invitationals. Buena Vista’s low round of the season was a 344, on day two of the Wisconsin-Eau Claire Invitational.

About the Individuals: Senior Kristi Wellendorf (Ida Grove, Iowa/Battle Creek-Ida Grove HS) and juniors Jennifer Einck (Primghar, Iowa/South O’Brien HS) and Betsy Hall (Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln East HS) have all been Buena Vista’s top finisher at various times during the season. Hall was the team’s top finisher four times; Einck was the top finisher twice and Wellendorf once. Einck and Wellendorf have individual titles to their credit as Einck won the Northwestern (Iowa) Invitational and Wellendorf won the Luther Invitational with her low round of the year (79).

Einck and Hall both had their low rounds of the year on the second day of the BVU Beaver Classic as they carded a 79 and 81, respectively.

Sophomore Janel Davis (Emmetsburg, Iowa/Emmetsburg HS) and freshman Ashley Altena (Sioux Center, Iowa/Sioux Center HS) played in all seven tournaments this season. Davis’ low round was an 84 on day two of the Wisconsin-Eau Claire Invitational and Altena’s top score was an 89 on the first day of the Wartburg Invitational.

At the 2001 Championship: Einck, Hall, Wellendorf and Davis were all part of the 2001 Conference Championship team. Einck (165) and Hall (166) earned All-Conference honors with second and third place finishes as the Beavers took the top-three spots. Wellendorf shot a 179 and finished tied for 12th while Davis shot a 96 on the first day of the Championship but withdrew on the second day.

CENTRAL COLLEGE DUTCH
2001 Finish – 5th (379-357 – 736)

About the Team: Central started the year slow but finished on the top half of the leader board in three of its final four tournaments including a seventh place finish at the Wartburg Invitational, a sixth place finish at the Luther Invitational, and a tie for second at the Loras Invitational. The Dutch’s low round of the year was a 356 at the Luther Invitational.

About the Individuals: Central has a balanced line-up led by senior Amber Wissler (Clear Lake, Iowa/Clear Lake HS) with an 89.1 stroke average. Close behind Wissler are junior Amy Nystrom (Boone, Iowa/Boone HS) with a 91.1 stroke average, sophomore Jenni Juergens (Eldora, Iowa/Eldora-New Providence HS) with a 91.8 stroke average and senior Joni Bladel (Durant, Iowa/Durant HS) with a 93.2 stroke average.

Wissler was the top finisher for the Dutch in three tournaments (Wartburg, Luther, and BVU Beaver Classic where she tied with Juergens) and had a low round of 82 on the second day of the Wartburg Invitational. Nystrom was the team’s top finisher at the Wisconsin-Eau Claire Invitational, a tournament that included her low round of the season, an 86 on day two. Juergens was Central’s top finisher twice (Mount Mercy and BVU Beaver Classic with Wissler). Her low round of 83 came at the Mount Mercy Invitational and on the first day of the Wisconsin-Eau Claire Invitational.

Senior Brooke German (Grinnell, Iowa/Grinnell HS), juniors Jamie Anderson (Red Oak, Iowa/Red Oak HS), and Natalie Goedken (Arlington, Iowa/Starmont HS), sophomore Tai Bennett (Lisbon, Iowa/Lisbon HS) and freshman Emily Volger (Huxley, Iowa/Ballard HS) saw action in multiple tournaments during the season.

At the 2001 Championship: Central’s top-five finishers from the 2001 Championship return this season. Wissler was the top finisher, carding a 181 to finish 16th. Goedken finished tied for 19th with a 185 followed by Nystrom and Juergens¸ who tied for 22nd with a 186. German finished 37th with a 199.

COE COLLEGE KOHAWKS
2001 Finish – 9th (439-420 – 859)

About the Team: Coe’s top finishes came at the Cornell Invitational (seventh) and Loras Invitational (eighth). The 384 in the first round of the Wartburg Invitational was the Kohawks’ low round of the season.

About the Individuals: Sophomores Kelli Long (Washington, Iowa/Washington HS) and Vanessa Shemitis (Glenview, Ill./New Trier HS) were Coe’s top finisher twice each. Long finished 28th at Mount Mercy and tied classmate Beth Rohlena (Sioux City, Iowa/Sioux City North HS) for 26th at the Cornell Invitational. Shemitis has been the Kohawks’ top finisher it their last two tournaments – Wartburg where she finished tied for 55th and Loras where she finished tied for 26th.

Long’s low round was a 91 at the Mount Mercy Invitational. Shemitis’ low round was a 97 at the Loras Invitational and Rohlena’s low round was an 89 on the first day of the Wartburg Invitational.

Juniors Amanda Ray (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Jefferson HS) and Erin Redmon (Grinnell, Iowa/Grinnell HS), sophomore Saida Otte (Fort Madison, Iowa/Fort Madison HS) and freshman Shannon Murphy (Mediapolis, Iowa/Mediapolis HS) are also expected to see time on the course at the Conference Championship.

At the 2001 Championship: Shemitis is the only Kohawk that participated in the 2001 Conference Championship. She finished tied for 42nd with a 209.

CORNELL COLLEGE RAMS
2001 Finish – 7th (416-386 – 802)

About the Team: Cornell enters the Conference Championship on the heels of back-to-back fourth place finishes in which the Rams shot their two low rounds of the season - a 376 at the Iowa Wesleyan Invitational and a 367 at the St. Ambrose Invitational.

About the Individuals: Sophomore Krystal Kirkpatrick (Humboldt, Iowa/Humboldt HS) was Cornell’s top finisher in five of the seven tournaments including a second place finish at St. Ambrose and a tie for third at Iowa Wesleyan. Kirkpatrick has an 88.3 stroke average with a low round of 81 at St. Ambrose. Junior Bonnie Sedan (Galena, Ill./Galena HS) was Cornell’s top finisher at the Cornell Invitational where she shot a season-best round of 90. She also carded a 90 at the Luther Invitational and enters the Championship with a 94.8 stroke average.

Senior Lindsey Stoll (Bondurant, Iowa/Bondurant-Farrar HS) was the Rams’ top finisher at the Loras Invitational and shot a season-best round of 98 at the St. Ambrose Invitational. She has a 112.6 stroke average in eight rounds. Senior Leah Hagedorn (Davenport, Iowa/West HS) has a 104.9 stroke average including a low round of 96 at the St. Ambrose Invitational.

Freshman Tara Moon (Mount Pleasant, Iowa/Mount Pleasant HS) has a 108.5 stroke average in four rounds including a low round of 106 at the St. Ambrose Invitational and Iowa Wesleyan Invitational. Senior Sara Turner (Postville, Iowa/Postville HS) has a 109.2 stroke average in six rounds including a low round of 103 at the Luther Invitational and senior Jessica Hoffman (Castle Rock, Colo./Heritage HS) has a 125.4 stroke average in five rounds including a low round of 110 at the Iowa Wesleyan Invitational.

At the 2001 Championship: Kirkpatrick, Sedan, Hagedorn, Turner and Stoll participated in the Conference Championship last season. Kirkpatrick shot a 189, including an 89 on day two, finishing tied for 27th. Sedan finished 33rd with a 195, Hagedorn finished tied for 40th with a 206, Turner shot a 216 to finish 47th followed by Stoll at 48th with a 217.

LORAS COLLEGE DUHAWKS
2001 Finish – 3rd (368-344 – 712)

About the Team: In eight tournaments this season, Loras had five top-five finishes including a pair of second place finishes at the Clarke Invitational and Loras Invitational (tie). The 338 at Clarke was the team’s low round of the year. The Duhawks also finished fourth on back-to-back days at the Mount Mercy Invitational and Cornell Invitational (tied). They enter the Conference Championship after a fifth place finish at the Gustavus Adolphus Invitational.

About the Individuals: Junior Katrina Hammell (Caledonia, Minn./Caledonia HS) has been Loras’ top individual finisher in six of its eight tournaments this year including two titles – Clarke Invitational and Gustavus Adolphus Invitational. Hammell has an 85.0 stroke average with a low round of 79 at the Clarke Invitational and day two at the Gustavus Adolphus Invitational.

Senior Megan Reiter (Ottumwa, Iowa/Ottumwa HS) was the Duhawks top finisher twice (Wartburg Invitational and Loras Invitational) and enters the Conference Championship with an 88.2 stroke average. Reiter’s low round was an 84 on the first day of the Wisconsin-Eau Claire Invitational. Senior Mary Leonard (Elkader, Iowa/Central HS) gives Loras a solid third golfer with a 90.8 average. Her low round was at the Clarke Invitational where she shot an 83.

Sophomore Emily Schnidt (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton-Warrenville South HS), and freshmen Lacey McCabe (Cascade, Iowa/Cascade HS) and Nicole Stovie (Anamosa, Iowa/Cedar Rapids Xavier HS) round out the Loras line-up. Schnidt had three rounds of 95, McCabe had a low round of 91 at the Clarke Invitational and Stovie shot a 99 at the Loras Invitational for her low round.

At the 2001 Championships: Hammell, Reiter, Leonard and Schnidt all participated in the 2001 Championships. Hammell (173) and Reiter (176) both earned All-Conference recognition with fifth and 10th place finishes respectively. Leonard shot a 186 to finish tied for 22nd and Schnidt finished tied for 49th with a 226 as a freshman.

LUTHER COLLEGE NORSE
2001 Finish – 4th (376-347 – 723)

About the Team: Luther has two third place finishes this season, both in tournaments with 13 teams – Wartburg Invitational and Luther Invitational. The Norse also finished in the top half of the field at the Wisconsin-Eau Claire Invitational with a sixth place finish. Luther’s 345 on the first day of the Wartburg Invitational was the team’s low score of the season.

About the Individuals: Three golfers enter the Conference Championship with stoke averages under 90 led by senior Melissa Stull (Reinbeck, Iowa/Gladbrook-Reinbeck HS) at 88.4. She was the Norse’s top finisher in three tournaments including a tie for second at the Luther Invitational. Her season-low round was a 79 in the second round of the Gustavus-Adolphus Invitational.

Sophomore Lindy Buck (Ames, Iowa/Ames HS) and senior Lisa Highum (Plymouth, Minn./Robbinsdale Cooper HS) have 89.1 and 89.4 stroke averages, respectively. Buck’s low round of 84 came on the first day of the Wartburg Invitational. Highum had a low round of 82 at the Mount Mercy Invitational, one of two tournaments in which she was Luther’s top finisher.

Seniors Amanda Benedict (Winona, Minn./Winona Senior HS) and Kristie Lund (Dubuque, Iowa/Hempstead HS), junior Jody Myers (Northglenn, Colo./Thornton HS), sophomore Brittany Ruff (Marshalltown, Iowa/Marshalltown HS) and freshman Tiffany Schulte (Caledonia, Minn./Caledonia HS) round out Luther’s line-up. Schulte has a 93.4 stroke average and was the Luther’s top finisher at the Loras Invitational. Her low round of the year was an 89 on the second day of the Wartburg Invitational.

Myers has a 94.2 stroke average with a low round of 86 on the first day of the Wartburg Invitational. Ruff has a 96.6 stroke average with a low round of 93 on the second day of the Wisconsin-Eau Claire Invitational. Benedict has 97.6 stroke average and a low round of 95 at both the Loras and Luther Invitationals. Lund has a 100.7 stroke average with a low round of 93 on the second day of the Gustavus Adolphus Invitational.

At the 2001 Championship: Stull, Highum, Myers, Benedict and Lund all competed in the 2001 Conference Championship. Stull finished tied for 14th with a 180. Highum was tied for 19th with a 185. Myers shot a 188 to finish tied for 25th. Benedict was tied for 27th with a 189 and Lund had a 193 to finish tied for 30th.

SIMPSON COLLEGE STORM
2001 Finish – 2nd (346-337 – 683)

About the Team: Simpson has won seven straight tournaments heading into the Conference Championship where it looks to regain the title it has won seven of the past 10 years. Simpson opened the season with a third place finish at the Wisconsin-Eau Claire Invitational and has won every tournament since. The Storms’ best round was a 321 at the Cornell Invitational.

About the Individuals: Sophomore Janelle Claiborne (Lake City, Iowa/Southern Cal HS) and freshman Steph Schenfeld (Indianola, Iowa/Indianola HS) have each been Simpson’s top finisher four times including the Wartburg Invitational where the duo tied for second. Claiborne enters the Conference Championship with an 82.4 scoring average. Her low round was a 73 at the Mount Mercy Invitational, a tournament she won.

Schenfeld has two titles to her credit (Cornell and Loras) and a low round of 75 in the Cornell Invitational. Her season stroke average is 84.1. Three of Simpson’s remaining four golfers all have stroke averages under 90. Junior Senta Willenborg (Dyersville, Iowa/Beckman HS) has an 87.6 stroke average, junior Amber DeRiemacker (Atalissa, Iowa/West Liberty HS) as an 88.0 stroke average and junior Karen Smith (Eagle Grove, Iowa/Eagle Grove HS) has an 88.5 stroke average. Freshman Kenna Heater (Morning Sun, Iowa/Wapello HS) has a 90.3 stroke average.

Willenborg’s low round was an 85 in both rounds of the Gustavus Adolphus Invitational. Smith and DeRiemacker each shot their low rounds of the year at the Cornell Invitational, 80 and 83, respectively. Heater’s low round was an 81 on the first day of the Wartburg Invitational.

At the 2001 Championship: Five Simpson golfers earned All-Conference honors at the 2001 Championship including four that return to the line-up this season. Claiborne finished fourth with a 168, DeRiemacker, Smith and Willenborg all carded 174. Following a playoff, DeRiemacker finished sixth, Smith finished seventh and Willenborg finished eighth.

WARTBURG COLLEGE KNIGHTS
2001 Finish – 6th (386-363 – 749)

About the Team: Twice during the 2002 season Wartburg set the school record for lowest round. The Knights’ shot a 341 at the Mount Mercy Invitational and then broke that mark with a 333 on the second day of the BVU Beaver Classic. Wartburg finished third twice (Mount Mercy and Cornell), and second once (Buena Vista) for its highest finish in a tournament since 1992.

About the Individuals: A talented freshman class leads Wartburg including Erin Dohlman (LeRoy, Minn./LeRoy Ostrander HS), who was the team’s top finisher four times, Lindsey Huinker (Lawler, Iowa/Turkey Valley HS), who was Wartburg’s top finisher twice, Ami Franzen (Nashua, Iowa/Nashua-Plainfield HS) and Bre Pleggenkuhle (Clear Lake, Iowa/Clear Lake HS).

Dohlman’s low round of the year was a 77 on the second day of the BVU Beaver Classic. Huinker’s low round was an 83 on the first day of the BVU Beaver Classic. Franzen’s low round was an 89 on the first day of the Wartburg Invitational. Pleggenkuhle’s low round was an 87 at the Mount Mercy Invitational.

Juniors Amanda McMahan (Keokuk, Iowa/Keokuk HS) and Cara Doak (Grundy Center, Iowa/Grundy Center HS) and sophomore Cassie Byers (Anamosa, Iowa/Anamosa HS) round out the senior-less roster. McMahan was Wartburg’s top finisher twice and Byers was the top finisher once.

McMahan’s low round was an 82 at the Mount Mercy Invitational. Doak’s low round was a 94 on the second day of the Wartburg Invitational and at the Luther Invitational. Byers’ low round was an 84 on the second day of the BVU Beaver Classic.

At the 2001 Championship: Byers finished tied for 19th at the 2001 Championship with a 185. McMahan cared a 188 to finish tied for 25th and Doak posted a 192 for a 29th place finish.

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