Murray State University Athletics
Lady Racers Sweep OVC's Team, Individual Titles For Third Straight Year
4/28/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Senior Nikki Orazine entered the final round of the 2004 Ohio Valley Conference Championship three shots out of first place, but fired the low round of the final day to earn a five-shot victory and lead the Murray State women's golf team to its third straight conference title after Wednesday's final round at the 5,817-yard, par-72 course at the Country Club of Paducah (Ky.).
Overall, the Lady Racers earned their sixth OVC title in just 11 seasons after firing a 325 - 315 - 323 = 963 in the 54-hole event and finish 14 strokes in front of second-place Tennessee Tech with a 323 - 328 - 326 = 977. OVC newcomer Jacksonville State was third in the field of eight teams with a 327 - 334 - 328 = 989, while Eastern Kentucky was fourth with a 334 - 342 - 329 = 1005.
"Every title is sweet because you know how hard it is to win each one of them," said MSU head coach Velvet Milkman, who also earned her sixth OVC Coach of the Year Award in just 11 seasons. "I'm so proud of this team because we've had our up's and down's this season, but they stayed focused through it all."
MSU was led by Orazine, a native of Paducah, who became the third consecutive Lady Racer to win the OVC Golfer of the Year award after firing an 80 - 77 - 77 =234. JSU's Marilen F. Ruiz was five shots behind Orazine in second place in the field of 40 golfers with a 78 - 82 - 79 = 239.
"Nikki's had the desire to win the OVC individual title all along," Milkman said. "I'm so proud of her because she's worked very hard for this, and she truly earned this championship."
MSU senior Cuyler Hedley, a native of Cobourg, Ontario and the 2002 OVC Golfer of the Year, closed out her collegiate career with a tie for third after a 79 - 76 - 86 = 241, while junior Ashley Kelbough earned a sixth-place finish with an 82 - 80 - 82 = 244.
Freshman Christi Baron, a native of Louisville, Ky., tied for ninth with an 88 - 82 - 79 = 249, while junior Santie Koch earned a 13th-place tie with an 84 - 82 - 85 = 251.
"People have no idea how hard our players have worked to get to this point," Milkman said. "Each one of these players have done so much just to put us in a position to win this thing, and I couldn't be happier for them because they earned out there on the golf course."
For Orazine, who earned second-place finish at the 2003 OVC Championship, the chance to make a come-from-behind run at the 2004 title on the final day was exactly what she wanted.
"I really liked the position I was in after the first two days," Orazine said. "I'm a little more comfortable being in a spot where I can really go after it, and it feels great to close out my career with this kind of win."
2004 OVC WOMEN'S COACH OF THE YEAR:
Velvet Milkman, Murray State
2004 OVC WOMEN'S MEDALIST AND PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Nikki Orazine, Murray State
2004 OVC WOMEN'S TEAM CHAMPION: Murray State
2004 WOMEN'S ALL-OVC TEAM
Marilen Fernandez-Ruiz, Jacksonville State
Cuyler Hedley, Murray State
Amanda Minchin, Eastern Illinois
Nikki Orazine, Murray State
Julie Smith, Tennessee Tech
2004 OVC WOMEN'S ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Marilen Fernandez-Ruiz, Jacksonville State
Cuyler Hedley, Murray State
Nikki Orazine, Murray State
Julie Smith, Tennessee Tech
Sarah Thomas, Tennessee Tech
