Racer Rewind - MSU Wins 2014 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 is Chris Griffin & Velvet Milkman

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.

This chapter in the program's history of 2014, marked a beginning with the OVC championship moving south to Alabama to play at courses on the state's Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. The OVC staged the event at The Shoals Golf Club in Muscle Shoals, Ala., and the competition was played on the Fighting Joe Course.

The Murray State Racers won their ninth OVC title with a final round 310 that erased a six-shot deficit and produced a two-shot victory. Not only did the Racers have the guts and determination to prevail on the final day, they also overcame a 12-shot deficit after round one.

With the championship on the line, lone senior Delaney Howson hit a 5-iron to 15 feet on the 185-yard par-3 18th. Her resulting birdie putt sealed a two-shot win for the Racers and the OVC's automatic spot in the NCAA Championships.

The win kept an amazing streak alive for Coach Velvet Milkman in which every class she had led, one an OVC championship.

Howson's 4-under-par 68 in round two was a tournament record. Her final score line was 71-68-73=212.

"I'm so happy right now, I don't know what to say," said an elated Howson, whose 212 set the OVC record for 54 holes. "I wanted this so much for Coach and my team and to be here right now as champions, this is great!"

Freshman Sydney Trimble was named to the OVC All-Tournament Team when she placed fifth after scores of 76-73-80=229. Abbi Stamper birdied 3-of-4 starting at the 10th hole and came home with 75. Her scores for the event of 80-78-75=233 landed a spot in 11th place. Jackie Van Meter placed 29th with scores of 85-79-82=246, while Sophie Hillier placed 35th with scores of 80-84-86=250. Hillier saved the Racers shots in round one.

At the end of the day, the Racers carded scores of 307-298-310=915, two shots ahead of defending champion Eastern Kentucky at 295-304-318=917. Jacksonville State placed third with rounds of 298-308-317=923, with Morehead State 310-310-307=927 and Tennessee Tech 313-301-320=934 rounding out the top-5.

"The 2014 championship was one of the most exciting finishes our team has ever had," said Milkman six years after the fact as she recalled the big day. "The Fighting Joe is a fantastic championship golf course with some very difficult finishing holes. I was impressed with how our players handled the final day to maintain mental toughness and do what was needed to win."

Howson, the 2014 OVC Player of the Year, came up with the right shot at the right moment on the final hole.

"Before we made it to the final day, Delaney shot a tournament record 68," Milkman recalled. "She was our anchor and her shot on the par-3 18^th was incredible. It was a very difficult par three and she hit a hybrid club to fifteen feet and made the birdie putt for us to win by two. Sydney and Abbi played great as well. I remember the excitement of the team and gallery, it was a hard fought tournament and exciting to win."

Howson's OVC Player of the Year honor made her the first for MSU player to win it since Nikki Orazine in 2004 and 2005. Milkman was named OVC Coach of the Year.

The team win also kept an amazing streak alive in that every student-athlete that had played for Coach Milkman for four years, had graduated and won at least one OVC championship.

The 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.

2014 Ohio Valley Women's Golf Championship
The Shoals GC -- Muscle Shoals, Ala.
Par 72, 6203 yards -- 10 teams, 50 players
April 23, 2014

Team
Murray State 915
Eastern Kentucky 917
Jacksonville State 923
Morehead State 927
Tennessee Tech 934
Austin Peay 949
Belmont 971
SIUE 988
Eastern Illinois 1026
Tennessee State 1066

Murray State 307 298 310 915 +51 1st
1 Delaney Howson 71 68 73 212 -4
5 Sydney Trimble 76 73 80 229 +13
11 Abbi Stamper 80 78 75 233 +17
29 Jackie Van Meter 85 79 82 246 +30
35 Sophie Hillier 80 84 86 250 +34

Murray State University Athletics

Racer Rewind - MSU Wins 2014 OVC Women's Golf Championship

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Sophie Hillier

Delaney Howson

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