Weekly Release #12

Upcoming Schedule
Fri-Sun., April 25-27 -- at Big Ten Championships (Iowa, City, Iowa.)
Thu-Sat., May 8-10 -- at NCAA Regional (TBD)
Tue-Fri., May 20-23 -- at NCAA Championships (West Lafayette, Ind.)

Next on the Tee: Big Ten Championships
The University of Michigan women's golf team will swing into the championship portion of its schedule, as the Wolverines will travel to Iowa City, Iowa, for the 2003 Big Ten Conference Championships Friday through Sunday (April 25-27) at Finkbine Golf Course. Finkbine will be set up for a par of 73 and 6,053 yards. The 72-hole tournament will consist of 36 holes Friday (April 25, 8 a.m. CDT), 18 on Saturday (April 26, 8 a.m.) and a final round on Sunday (April 27, 9 a.m.).

Big Ten Championships Schedule
The Big Ten Championships will consist of 72 holes, with 36 holes Friday (April 25) and then 18 Saturday (April 26) and a final 18 on Sunday (April 27).

Thursday, April 24	Practice Round	Tee times throughout the day
Friday, April 25	First Round	8:00 a.m. CDT (tee times)
	Second Round	1:00 p.m. CDT (tee times)
Saturday, April 26	Third Round	8:00 a.m. CDT (tee times)
Sunday, April 27	Final Round	9:00 a.m. CDT (tee times)

Big Ten Championships Teams
All 11 Big Ten Conference teams will participate in the 2003 Big Ten Championships. All 11 conference teams are ranked in the Golfweek/Sagarin top 100 - No. 42 Illinois, No. 30 Indiana, No. 88 Iowa, No. 54 Michigan, No. 35 Michigan State, No. 90 Minnesota, No. 58 Northwestern, No. 17 Ohio State, No. 44 Penn State, No. 21 Purdue and No. 62 Wisconsin.

The Michigan Lineup at the Big Ten Championships
The Wolverines will carry six players for the Michigan squad at the Big Ten Conference Championships. Senior Kim Benedict (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams HS) and sophomore Laura Olin (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie HS) head up the championship squad. Freshman Amy Schmucker (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori HS), fifth-year senior Stephanie Stasik (Lubbock, Texas/Coronado HS) and junior/sophomore Courtney Goebel (Huntington Beach, Calif./Marina HS) will be making their first Big Ten appearances, while junior Sarah Kruer (La Jolla, Calif./La Jolla Country Day) will make her second appearance.

Big Ten Championships Scoring
Team scores shall be determined by adding the low four scores of each team for each round. A team shall consist of no more than six players per institution. Ties in a team or individual competition after 72 holes at the championship shall stand.

Following the Big Ten Championships
Live stats will be available throughout the Big Ten Championships at Iowa's Finkbine Golf Course website -- www.finkbine.com

Michigan at the Big Ten Championships
Michigan has competed in all but one Big Ten Conference Championships since its inception in 1982. The Wolverines' best finish was third in 2003 at Stone Creek in Urbana, Ill., and their best team score was 1,216 during the 2000 championships in Verona, Wis.

Michigan in the Big Ten

Year	Finish	Total	Host School
1982	DNC	NS	Minnesota
1983	9th	1,087	Illinois
1984	9th	1,026	Iowa
1985	9th	1,369	Indiana
1986	8th	1,369	Michigan
1987	9th	1,332	Michigan State
1988	9th	1,409	Ohio State
1989	9th	1,384	Purdue
1990	7th	1,308	Minnesota
1991	8th	1,296	Wisconsin
1992	9th	1,389	Illinois
1993	10th	1,382	Iowa
1994	10th	1,348	Ohio State
1995	7th	1,303	Michigan
1996	5th	988*	Indiana
1997	4th	1,285	Michigan State
1998	11th	1,281	Penn State
1999	10th	1,302	Purdue
2000	T6th	1,216	Wisconsin
2001	7th	1,248	Minnesota
2002	3rd	1,236	Illinois
* Shortened to 54 holes due to rain

Last Year at Big Ten Championships: Wicks Ties for Runner-up in Trying Weather Conditions
With 40 mile per hour wind gusts and wind chills dropping into the 20s former Wolverine LeAnna Wicks (1999-2002) led the Wolverines to their best Big Ten Conference Championships finish ever as the Maize and Blue placed third at 2002 championships (April 26-28) at the Stone Creek Golf Course in Urbana, Ill. The Maize and Blue posted team rounds of 302, 296, 318 and 320 to close out the 72-hole tournament with a 1,236 total, its second best conference championship score ever. Wicks, who tied for runner-up honors, guided the Wolverines as she finished with the second best championship total in Michigan history with her 305 (72-73-81-79). Former Wolverine Misia Lemanski (1999-2002) tied for 14th along with Laura Olin. Lemanski finished with a 313 total (77-82-78-76) while Olin set the mark for the best U-M freshman finish ever and second best championship score by a Wolverine rookie (75-71-83-84/313). Bess Bowers (1999-2002) was 23rd (78-76-80-82/316), Kim Benedict was 26th (82-76-79-83/320) and Cortney Reno (1999-2002) tied for 44th (78-83-82-86/329).

Additional 2002 Big Ten Conference Championships Highlights and Records
 Michigan's third-place finish is the highest finish for the Wolverines at the Big Ten Conference Championships. Prior to the 2002 championship, the Wolverines' best finish was fourth in 1997.

 Michigan's 1,236 four-round Big Ten Championships team total ranks as the second best in Wolverine history. The Maize and Blue recorded the lowest championship team total at the 2000 championship with a 1,216 four-round total. In the 19 Big Ten Championships, the Wolverines have broken the 1,300 barrier five times.

 Michigan's second-round team total of 296 is its best round ever at the Big Ten Conference Championships. The Wolverines' only other sub-300 score at the league meet was a 299 in the fourth round of the 2000 event. U-M's first-round team total of 302 is its third lowest team total at the Big Ten Championships.

 LeAnna Wicks' (1999-2002) runner-up finish at the Big Ten Championships ranks as the highest Wolverine finish ever. Wicks' 305 total ties her for the second best individual total. Sharon Park (1996-99) tallied the top championship total with a 302 in 1998. Park, in 1997 and 1998, along with Wendy Westfall (1994-97) in 1997, were the previous highest Michigan finishers with ties for seventh.

 Laura Olin's tie for 14th at the Big Ten Championships is the highest finish ever by a Wolverine freshman at the conference tournament. Her 313 total ranks as the second best freshman total at the championships. Kim Benedict tallied a 306 total at the 2000 Big Ten Championships (April 28-30, 2000) and tied for 24th, the previous best freshman finish.

Last Time Playing at the Finkbine Golf Course: Wicks Helps Wolverines Dominate Field at Iowa
The last time the Wolverines played at the Finkbine Golf Course was at the 2002 Iowa Invitational (April 13-14, 2002), where the Maize and Blue walked away with a 15-stroke victory (290-287-311/888), successfully defending its 2001 team title and winning its sixth tournament of the 2001-02 season. Former Wolverine LeAnna Wicks (1999-2002) posted her first medalist performance of her career, winning by two strokes with a three-round total score of 217 (68-72-77). Other scores posted in Iowa City were Laura Olin, who was fourth with a 222 total (74-68-80); Bess Bowers (1999-2002), who was fifth with a 224 total (75-71-78); Misia Lemanski (1999-2002), who tied for 12th with a 230 (73-77-80); Kim Benedict, who tied for 14th with 231 (75-77-79); and Cortney Reno (1999-2002), who was 17th with a 232 (79-76-77).

Last Time on the Links: Michigan Ties for Eighth Spot at Lady Boilermaker Invite
In their final regular season tuneup, the Wolverines tied for eighth at the Lady Boilermaker Invitational (April 12-13) at the Kampen Course at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex in West Lafayette, Ind. The Maize and Blue finished with a 940 total after descending round totals of 317 and 313 and a final 310. Laura Olin led the Wolverines for the seventh time this season as she tied for 11th with a 228 54-hole total. After opening with a five-over-par 77, Olin followed with a 74 to put her in a tie for eighth after the first day of play. She closed with another 77 after missing a few up-and-downs to drop her to the 11th-place showing. Kim Benedict tied for 21st with a 232 total (80-76-76), Amy Schmucker tied for 38th with a 238 total (77-81-80), Courtney Goebel tied for 54th (83-84-79/246), Stephanie Stasik tied for 61st (86-86-78/250) and Kelly Easton tied for 67th (85-82-86/253).

Looking to the Possibilities
If the Wolverines have another solid showing at the Big Ten Conference Championships, they could make their third consecutive trip to an NCAA Regional. The Wolverines went to the 2001 East Regional in Chapel Hill, N.C., where they finished 12th, and then participated at the 2002 Central Regional in East Lansing, Mich., where they finished sixth, advancing to the program's first trip to the NCAA Championships in Auburn, Wash., where they finished 17th. The 2003 regional sites (May 8-10) are: Central, Lincoln, Neb.; East, Winston-Salem, N.C.; West, Tempe, Ariz. The 2003 NCAA Championships (May 20-23) will be in West Lafayette, Ind., at the Kampen Course at Purdue's Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex.

Wolverines Have Only Two Veterans
After graduating four seniors last year, the Wolverines have only two players with Big Ten Championships experience -- Kim Benedict and Laura Olin. Benedict has competed at Big Tens in each of her first three years tallying a career-best total of 306 in 2000. Olin tied for 14th in 2002, which was the highest finish ever by a Wolverine freshman at the conference tournament. Her 313 total ranks as the second best freshman total at the championships, trailing only Benedict's 306.

Benedict Selected for Big Ten Golfer of the Week Award
Kim Benedict was named Big Ten Conference Athlete of the Week for the week ending April 8. The honor is the second of Benedict's career; she was previously honored in 2001. She received the conference distinction after winning her third career collegiate victory at the Indiana Invitational (April 6-7) at the IU Golf Course in Bloomington, Ind. Benedict finished in a season-best 54-hole total performance of 222 after rounds of two-under 72, even-par 74 and two-over 76. She also finished the invitational with tournament-leading 13 total birdies and was also first in par-3 scoring at even par, second in par-4 scoring at plus-three and third in par-5 scoring at three under par.

Benedict Adds Another Trophy
Kim Benedict's medalist honor at the Indiana Invitational (April 5-6) is the third of her career and second in the state of Indiana. She won the 2001 Hawkeye Invitational (April 14-15, 2001) in Iowa City, Iowa, and the 2001 Shootout at the Legends (Oct. 8-9, 2001) in Franklin, Ind. She has five career medalist runner-up finishes.

Michigan's New One-Two Punch Heating Up
Kim Benedict and Laura Olin were part of a three-way punch last season, along with former Wolverine Misia Lemanski (1999-2002), and this year Benedict and Olin have become a one-two punch for the Maize and Blue. In 11 tournaments this season, either Olin (seven) or Benedict (four) has been the Wolverines' top finisher. Benedict has reclaimed the team lead in scoring average by just .47, as she is averaging 77.09 to Olin's 77.56.

More on the Duo
Kim Benedict played in her 48th consecutive tournament for the Wolverines at the Lady Boilermaker invitational (April 12-13). This season, she has recorded four top-10 finishes -- first at the Indiana Invitational, fifth at the Lady Northern (Sept. 28-29), tied for fifth at the Anteater Invitational (March 10-11) and tied for eighth at the Wolverine Invitational (Sept. 14-15). She had a season-best 222 total at the Indiana Invitational. Laura Olin extended her streak to 24 straight tournaments for the Wolverines. She has two top-10 finishes this season, tying for fourth at the Wolverine Invitational and tying for ninth at the Women's Collegiate Shootout (Oct. 7-8).

Coming On Strong
The Wolverines are averaging 317.20 as a team during the first round of tournaments this season. But they dramatically improve in the second and third rounds, as they are averaging 310.0 as a team in the second round and 311.1 in the third round. For 54-hole tournaments this season they have been averaging 933.5 with a 312.84 per round average.

Lineup Says Cohesive
Michigan has four players who have seen action in all 11 tournaments this season -- Kim Benedict, Laura Olin, Amy Schmucker and Stephanie Stasik.

Schmucker Making Most of First Season
Amy Schmucker has made the most of her first 11 collegiate tournaments, as she is third on the team with a 79.43 scoring average.  In the history of the program, only two freshmen have averaged below 80 strokes per round in their first season -- current teammates Laura Olin (76.94, 2001-02) and Kim Benedict (79.24, 1999-2000). Schmucker had a career-best 229 total in her first collegiate tournament at the Wolverine Invitational (Sept. 14-15), where she posted her career-best finish with a tie for fourth. She recorded a career-best single-round score of 74 in the final round of the Women's Collegiate Shootout (Oct. 7-8).

Stasik Continues to Strike
Stephanie Stasik has played in all 11 tournaments this season and is fifth on the team in scoring average with an 81.17 per round mark. She had a season-best tie for 15th at the Wolverine Invitational and had a season-best 54-hole tournament score of 233 at the Fossum Invitational (Sept. 21-22). She has had 10 of her 32 rounds below the 80-stroke barrier, with a season-best 74 in the second round of the Women's Collegiate Shootout.

Goebel Ties Season-Best Mark in Home State
Courtney Goebel's second-round, five-over 77 at the UC Irvine Anteater Invitational (March 10-11) tied her season-best score, and it marked the second time in her career she has fired a round below the 80-stroke barrier. She also shot 77 in the second round of the Wolverine Invitational (Sept. 14-15). She has competed in seven tournaments this season and is averaging 82.79 per round.

Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423