The three co-leaders going into the final round of the Women’s NCAA Division II Finals have a combined 27 individual college titles to their credit, but they’d probably trade them all for a victory Saturday at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora.
The three seniors — Isabel Jimenez Perea of Tarleton State (Texas), Gabrielle Shipley (left) of Grand Valley State (Michigan) and Kasey Petty of Findlay (Ohio) — all will wrap up their college careers on Saturday and a DII national title will be on the line.
“It feels awesome,” said Petty, winner of five college events individually. “This is what I’ve been working for the last two or three years. I can’t believe it, but I’m just going to go out there tomorrow and do what I can. No pressure. It’s my last tournament ever. I’m just excited to be here and excited to be where I’m at right now.”
Perea, who’s claimed a dozen individual championships as a collegian, and Petty matched 3-under-par 69s on Friday to come in at 3-under 213 overall. Also at that figure is 10-time college winner Shipley, who carded a third-round 70.
The co-leaders are three of the five players who are under par through three days. Joining them are second-round leader Hally Leadbetter of Rollins College (Fla.) (215 after a 74 Friday) and Marisa Toivonen of Augustana (S.D.) (215 following a 72). Leadbetter’s dad, world-renowned golf instructor David Leadbetter (left), followed his daughter throughout Friday’s round.
Fifth-year senior Hally Leadbetter, like Perea a left-hander, is setting the pace for Rollins, which stands at 7-over-par 871 and leads the team competition by seven over defending champion Indianapolis. Rollins, last year’s runner-up, has won a record five national titles in women’s golf, but none since 2008.
The two sub-par team scores on Friday came from Grand Valley State (a school record 4-under 284) and Tarleton State (285), who are being led by Shipley and Perea, respectively. Tarleton stands in fourth place overall (886) and Grand Valley (890) is sixth.
“It’s been my goal since I came here freshman year (to win a national title) both individually and as a team,” said Shipley, a former Michigan state high school champion who has finished in the top five individually in every tournament but one this season. “Today was a really good day for us — we set a school record (for single-round scoring) and we were under par as a team. That was awesome.”
Perea (left), a Spaniard, is the No. 2-ranked Division II player in the nation (behind Dallas Baptist’s Ann Parmerter, who is in seventh place at 218). Perea chalked up five birdies on Friday and had eight “3s” on her card.
“It would be pretty awesome” to claim a national title on Saturday, she said.
The women’s tourney — and the men’s DII finals at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club — are part of the NCAA Division II National Championships Festival in which titles in six sports (M&W golf, M&W tennis, softball and women’s lacrosse) will be decided.
Tickets for the DII National Festival are $5 per person per day, or $15 for an all-session pass for the week. Tickets purchased at one site will be valid at all other competition sites.
For more information on the Spring Sports Festival, CLICK HERE.
For scores from the women’s tournament, CLICK HERE.
