Michigan Receives NCAA Bid, Will Play in Alabama Regional
4/25/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
April 25, 2016
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's golf team received today (Monday, April 25) its first NCAA Regional bid in four years and will travel to Shoal Creek, Alabama, Thursday through Saturday, May 5-7, to compete in the regional site at Shoal Creek Club. Overall, U-M's postseason selection is the 11th overall (eight team, three individual) for the program.
"We are thrilled and honored to be representing Michigan at the NCAA Championships," said U-M head coach Jan Dowling. "Our players have worked hard not only this season but the last three years to elevate our program to become championship contenders year in and year out. Receiving a bid is a big step this team, our players and our future."
The Wolverines will begin their quest to the 2016 NCAA Championships by playing a practice round at Shoal Creek on Wednesday, May 4. The regional consists of 54 holes, with 18 holes being played each day beginning at 8 a.m. CDT.
The three other regional sites are Stanford Golf Course in Stanford, California, hosted by Stanford; the Traditions Club in Bryan, Texas, hosted by Texas A&M; and the University Club in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, hosted by LSU.
From each regional, the top six teams and top three individuals not on a qualifying team will advance to the NCAA Finals, to be held Friday through Wednesday, May 20-25, at Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Oregon.
The 2016 finals format will consist of three days (54 holes) of stroke play for all competitors, Friday through Sunday (May 20-22). After Monday (May 23), the top eight teams advance to the match-play team championship, and the 72-hole individual national champion will be determined.
"We are anxious to prepare this week and get to the Alabama site," added Dowling. "The team has had some solid finishes but by no means have we been firing with all cylinders yet. All year we have talked about peaking in the championship portion of our season, and we are excited to test ourselves at the next level."
Michigan is coming off a sixth-place and record-breaking performance at the Big Ten Championships (April 22-24) to continue a strong 2015-16 season that includes three top-five finishes.
The Wolverines are averaging 294.46 per team round this season, which is on pace for the first sub-300 team average in U-M history. This year alone, U-M has five sub-par team scores, including a school-record 275 (-13) in the first round of the Las Vegas Showdown. The Wolverines set the U-M 54-hole tournament record in Las Vegas with an 835 (-29) team total, lowering the previous record by 38 strokes.
Individually, junior Grace Choi and senior Catherine Peters both broke U-M's 54-hole scoring record with 205 (-11) showings in Las Vegas, dropping the prior mark by four strokes. Choi continues to lead the Wolverines and is on a school-record pace with a 73.42 per round average, while Peters is second at 74.12, nearly two and a half shots better than any of her prior seasons. Overall, all seven Wolverines have set a new career best for a tournament single round.
Michigan has been represented in regional competition by the team or an individual in 11 seasons, making team appearances in 2001, '02, '05, '07, '09, '11, '12 and now '16. Laura Olin (2004), Amy Schmucker (2006) and Ashley Bauer (2010) made NCAA regional appearances as individuals.
2016 NCAA Regional
Thursday-Saturday, May 5-7
Shoal Creek Club, Shoal Creek, Ala.
1. Alabama
2. Northwestern
3. Oklahoma State
4. California
5. Iowa State
6. Florida State
7. Tennessee
8. Missouri
9. Purdue
10. Notre Dame
11. Vanderbilt
12. Clemson
13. Michigan
14. Middle Tennessee State
15. New Mexico State
16. Eastern Kentucky
17. Oakland
18. Alabama State
Individuals
1. Yupaporn Kawinpakorn, Kansas
2. Fatima Cano, Troy
3. Emily McLennan, Chattanooga
4. Sathika Ruenreong, Toledo
5. Laura Fuenfstueck, College of Charleston
6. Pornvipa Sakdee, Kansas
Michigan in the NCAA Postseason
• 2001, East Regional - 12th of 21 (308-308-309/925) - program's first invitation
• 2002, Central Regional - 6th of 21 (313-322-294/929)
• 2002, NCAA Finals - 17th of 24 (301-299-299-300/1199) - program's first advancement to NCAA Finals
• 2004, Central Regional - Laura Olin, individual, t-17th (75-76-78/229)
• 2005, Central Regional - 15th of 21 (301-320-305/926)
• 2006, Central Regional - Amy Schmucker, individual, t-71st (80-82-78/240)
• 2007, Central Regional - 13th of 21 (311-305-310/926) - hosted at U-M Golf Course
• 2009, Central Regional - 17th of 21 (312-321-327/960)
• 2010, Central Regional - Ashley Bauer, individual, t-76th (78-87-80/245)
• 2011, Central Regional - 18th of 24 (316-307-315/938)
• 2012, Central Regional - 16th of 24 (315-316-306/937)
Communications Contact: Tom Wywrot
