Racer Rewind - MSU Wins 2002 OVC Women's Golf Championship

GoRacers.com is taking a closer look at one of the most impressive sport performances in the history of Murray State and the Ohio Valley Conference. It's the Murray State women's golf team and head coach Velvet Milkman and the Racers' 12 OVC championships.

Check GoRacers.com for a chronological review of the Racers' 12 titles on Mondays and Fridays.

MSU's team in 2002 won the OVC championship at the Country Club of Paducah and it started another run of three in a row for Coach Milkman.

The Racers won the event with a score of 957 (20 shots better than their previous title three years before), and it produced a winning margin of 21 shots over second place Austin Peay. Eastern Illinois (983) was third, while Eastern Kentucky was third at 1,013 and (998) and Tennessee Tech (1,000) rounded out the field.

MSU's 957 tied the OVC Tournament record for best team score.

Cuyler Hedley was the OVC Player of the Year in 2002 and won medalist at the OVC Tournament on scores of 75-88-73=236, while Stephanie Baskey placed third on a score line of 87-77-75=239 and Nikki Orazine had a fifth place showing on rounds of 82-82-78=242. Santie Koch had scores of 86-82-80=248 for a spot in 12^th place, while Megan Rees placed 15^th on scores of 83-84-83=250.

"One of my lasting memories of 2002, was that it was very close going into the final round and our lead was only four shots," said Coach Velvet Milkman who was named OVC Coach of the Year in 2002. "For our team to go out and eventually win by 21 strokes, was just amazing. That final round was one of the best rounds in our program's history at that point and to play that well on a tough course and in the rain was fantastic."

"Cuyler Hedley was four strokes off the lead heading into the last day and she birdied four of her last six holes to shoot 73 to come away with the individual title. There was a very large crowd on the 18th hole and it was very exciting to watch her par the last hole to secure the individual title along with the team victory. Cuyler was not the only one that played well the last day. Stephanie Baskey shot 75 and Nikki Orazine and Santie Koch shot 78. Stephanie and Nikki's rounds were good enough to get them into the top five and earn All-Tournament honors. We were pleased that we could secure an OVC championship in front of a home crowd and send our seniors Megan Rees and Kristen Margherio out with a ring."

2002 was the first year of three consecutive years in which the OVC Tournament was staged at the Country Club of Paducah and this event also marked the first time the men's and women's championships were hosted at the same course and on the same three days.

They Racers have won 12 OVC championships and finished runner-up five times in 26 tries. MSU's OVC championships have come in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2019. The Racers have only finished out of the top three only three times.

Ohio Valley Women's Golf Championship
Country Club of Paducah - Paducah, Ky.
Par 72, 6,978 yards - 5 teams, 25 players
April 27, 2002

Team
Murray State 957
Austin Peay 978
Eastern Illinois 983
Eastern Kentucky 998
Tennessee Tech 1000

Individual
Murray State 326 325 306 957 +93 1st
1 Cuyler Hedley 75 88 73 236 +20
3 Stephanie Baskey 87 77 75 239 +23
5 Nikki Orazine 82 82 78 242 +26
12 Santie Koch 86 82 80 248 +32
15 Megan Rees 83 84 83 250 +34

Murray State University Athletics

Racer Rewind - MSU Wins 2002 OVC Women's Golf Championship

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