Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
Central Regional-Otter Creek GC
NCAA Golf Championship Round 3 - Racers Finish On Positive Note
5/10/2010 5:59:00 AM | Women's Golf
The Murray State Racers finished their season Saturday with the final round of the NCAA Women's Golf Tournament Central Regional in Columbus, Ind., at Otter Creek GC.
Here are the various story lines as the Racers made their second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Senior Trio Play Final Rounds For MSU
Similar to 2009 when the Racers played at Ohio State, this final round was played in cold and windy conditions as the senior group of Andrea Downer, Megan McKinney and Joyce Trus played their final rounds for MSU
Murray State Head Coach Velvet Milkman honored her seniors when the final round was finished.
"I can't say enough of the effort Andrea, Megan and Joyce have given the MSU program over their careers," Milkman said. "They've been champions on and off the course, they've performed at a high level in everything they do and it will be very difficult to replace them next season."
Andrea Downer ended a bang with a birdie on her 12th of the day and then holed out from the fairway for eagle on the 13th hole and ended as MSU's best finisher with scores of 81-84-84=249 and a spot in 85th place in the field of 123 competitors. Joyce Trus came home in 102nd place with rounds of 84-85-87=256.
Morgan Cross was a 109th place finisher with scores of 87-88-87=262, with Megan McKinney placing 111th with rounds of 88-90-85=263. Caroline Lagerborg tied with Downer for the low round of the day and ended with scores of 84-100-84=268 and a spot in 114th place.
The NCAA Experience
The Racers were seeded 22nd in the field of 24 teams and that's where they finished with rounds of 336-347-340=1023, which was 41 shots better than 23rd place Detroit (1064) and 39 shots behind 21st place North Carolina State (984).
Coming off a trip to the NCAA's in 2009, The Racers had high expectations this time around, but they came away less than satisfied.
They battled a tough course at Otter Creek GC, which was the longest course of the three NCAA regions and the longest they had played this season at more than 6,400 yards.
"I told them last night that we had to finish on a positive note, and we did that today" Milkman said. "This was a very difficult test, but I think we're learning that when you get to the NCAA Championship, the level of mental and physical effort it takes is doubled."
"We didn't get the results we wanted, but it wasn't because of a lack of effort, it is fitting that this group finished their careers at the NCAA level."
MSU'S Championship Tradition Continues
The Racers' second appearance in the NCAA's also marked the continuation of the best tradition in Ohio Valley Conference Women's Golf.
MSU won their eighth OVC crown April 24 in Dickson, Tenn., at GreyStone GC and advanced to a second straight NCAA Championship.
Much more important is the streak of 17 straight seasons under Coach Milkman, in which every student-athlete that has stayed in the MSU program for four years has left with a degree and at least one championship ring.
The driving force is Velvet Milkman - the only head coach MSU has known.
"I am very proud of that accomplishment," Milkman said. "This is why we're here doing what we do. Our motto of 'Four Years - Two Goals' means you graduate and win an OVC title and Andrea, Megan and Joyce did that."
The senior trio did sacrifice walking in graduation Saturday while they were representing the Racers at the NCAA Championship.
"I hate that they missed graduation," Milkman said. "That happens to student-athletes sometimes. But the memories they made from playing in our program and winning two OVC titles is something that will be with them for a lifetime. They will always be Racers no matter where they go from here."
Top Eight Moving On To NCAA Finals
Southern California came away as champions of the NCAA Central Region with a score of 907, just ahead of fellow Pac-10 member Arizona State who finished 915. Purdue was third at 931, with New Mexico (936), Oklahoma State (937), Florida State (939), Oregon (939) and Kent State (940) making up the top eight teams that advance to the finals.
USC won the title in 2008 and ASU won it in 2009.
The NCAA Championship will be decided May 18-21 at the Country Club of Landfall in Wilmington, N.C.
Denver was the ninth place team and missed going to the finals by two shots with a score of 941.
Kent State's Martina Gavier was the individual medalist with scores of 72-75-72=219.
Georgia's Marta Silva Zamora (223) and Denver's Kimberly Kim (229) qualified as individuals for the NCAA Championship.
