Make it a baker’s dozen for the University of Denver women’s golf team.
Not that there was much suspense after each of the first two rounds, but the Pioneers extended their remarkable streak of conference championships to 13 on Wednesday by winning the Summit League title in Nebraska City.
The run includes three Summit League championships, nine in the Sun Belt Conference and one in the WAC.
A year after prevailing by 18 shots for the Summit title, the Pios steamrolled the nine-team field in winning by 52 strokes. Denver finished with a 14-over-par 878 total for three days.
It was DU’s second team victory of the season, and this one assured the Pioneers another berth in the NCAA regionals.
Meanwhile, Jessica Carty (pictured), a junior from Northern Ireland, claimed her first individual college title after leading wire-to-wire. With a 1-over-par 217 total, she prevailed by four strokes over teammate Mariell Bruun. In fact, all five DU players finished in the top eight individually.
Elsewhere in women’s league championships on Wednesday:
— Colorado State freshman Katrina Prendergast finished runner-up individually at the Mountain West Conference tournament in Rancho Mirago, Calif. By going 71-73-73 for a 1-over-par 217 total, Prendergast ended up five strokes behind champion Alexandra Kaui of UNLV. As a team, CSU placed sixth in the nine-team field.
— University of Colorado senior Alexis Keating held the outright lead at the Pac-12 tournament halfway through Wednesday’s final round in Pleasanton, Calif., but four bogeys over the final eight holes forced her to settle for fifth place overall.
It was Keating’s second top-five finish in the last two years at the Pac-12s, which is saying something considering it’s one of the powerhouse conferences in women’s golf.
Keating, who was also fifth at the Pac-12 meet at Boulder Country Club last year, posted a 2-over-par 74 total on Wednesday, leaving her at 6-under-par 210 overall, five strokes back of champion Linnea Strom of Arizona State.
CU finished fifth in the team race, matching its best showing in the Pac-12 Championships.
After the tournament, CU junior Esther Lee was named to the All-Pac-12 first team for the second consecutive year. She leads the Buffs with a 72.48 scoring average.
— Coloradan Jaylee Tait, a sophomore from Montana State, placed third individually Wednesday at the Big Sky Championship after taking the lead into the final round in Boulder City, Nev. Tait closed with a 3-over-par 75, giving her an even-par 216 total, four behind the top players. Northern Colorado tied for eighth place in the team competition.
Women’s Summit League Championship
April 18-20, 2016 (final) in Nebraska City, Neb.
1. (out of 9 teams) Denver 295-283-300–878
1. Jessica Carty 69-72-76–217; 2. Mariell Bruun 76-71-74–221; 3. Jessica Dreesbeimdieke 78-71-73–222; 5. Kathi Baratta 74-74-77–225; 8. Sophie Newlove 76-69-83–228.
Women’s Pac-12 Conference Championship
April 18-20, 2016 (final) in Pleasanton, Calif.
5. (out of 11 teams) Colorado 286-284-294–864
5. Alexis Keating 70-66-74–210; 12. Brittany Fan 72-73-70–215; 18. Esther Lee 70-73-73–216; 45. Gillian Vance 75-72-77–224; 50. Natalie Vivaldi 73-73-79–226.
Women’s Mountain West Conference Championship
April 18-20, 2016 (final) in Rancho, Mirage, Calif.
6. (out of 9 teams) Colorado State 309-305-307–921
2. Katrina Prendergast 71-73-73–217; 27. Sarah Archuleta 77-75-79–231; 32. Mikayla Tatman 81-79-74–234; 37. Brianna Becker 80-78-81–239; 38. Elisabeth Rau 81-79-81–241.
Also
40. Coloradan Kathleen Kershisnik, Wyoming 80-83-79–242
Women’s Big Sky Conference Championship
April 18-20, 2016 (final) in Boulder City, Nev.
8. (out of 12 teams) Northern Colorado 302-299-301–902
21. Janet Yeo 76-73-74–223; 25. Amanda Myers 82-69-73–224; 37. Kala Keltz 75-80-75–230; 44. Nicole Okada 75-78-79–232; 49. Baile Winslow 76-79-80–235.
Also
3. Coloradan Jaylee Tait, Montana State 69-72-75–216
