Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster, whose strong play at the end of her freshman season in college a year ago led to her finishing sixth individually at the Women’s NCAA Division I Finals, appears bound and determined to return to the biggest stage in women’s college golf.
The three-time CWGA Player of the Year shot a 4-under-par 68 to grab the individual lead in one of four NCAA DI regionals that began on Monday. The Wake Forest sophomore made seven birdies and three bogeys to set the standard in the Athens, Ga. Regional.
Kupcho (pictured), who has two individual wins to her credit this college season, holds a one-stroke over three players heading into the final two rounds of the tournament. At 69 are Lauren Stephenson of Alabama, Jillian Hollis of host Georgia and Sarah Burnham of Michigan State.
With the top six team finishers out of the 18-school field advancing to the NCAA Finals, Kupcho’s Wake Forest squad stands in 15th place. The top three individuals not on one of the qualifying teams also will make the Finals, which are set for May 19-24 at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill.
Meanwhile, at other Women’s DI Regionals, the University of Colorado is in 10th place in Columbus Ohio, sitting four strokes behind the teams in the crucial sixth position. Freshman Robyn Choi is 12th individually with a 75.
And the University of Denver is 12th in the Albuquerque Regional, eight out of sixth place. Mariell Bruun and Jessica Dreesbeimdieke fired 75s to lead the way for the Pioneers, sharing 30th place individually.
And in Lubbock, Texas, Colorado State University golfer Katrina Prendergast fired a 74 and is in 16th place, while Highlands Ranch resident Hannah Wood posted a 75 and is tied for 26th place for Oklahoma.
Meanwhile, in NCAA Division II regional action, two Coloradans are in the top 10 after round 1. Alex Trask, who plays for William Jewell College in Missouri, carded a 73 and is in fifth place in Canton, Ohio. And Regis freshman Mary Weinstein, the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado’s female player of the year in 2016, holds down eighth place after a 75 in Wichita Falls, Texas. The top three teams and top three individuals not on those teams from each super regional will advance to the DII nationals, scheduled for May 17-20 in Findlay, Ohio.
And in the Men’s NCAA DII regionals, Trevor McKune of Colorado Mesa shares second place individually after carding a 6-under-par 66 in the South Central/West Regional in Stockton, Calif. After a seven-birdie day, McKune trails only Trevor Lampson of California Baptist, who posted a 62. The top Colorado-based team after round 1 is Colorado State-Pueblo, which is in eighth place in the 20-team field. At least the top three teams and the top two individuals not on those teams will advance from the South Central/West Regional to the DII national finals, set for May 22-26 in Kissimmee, Fla.
WOMEN’S NCAA DIV. I REGIONALS
May 8-10, 2017 in Athens, Ga.
1. Coloradan Jennifer Kupcho, Wake Forest 68
May 8-10, 2017 in Columbus, Ohio
10. (out of 18 teams) Colorado 313
12. Robyn Choi 75
22. Brittany Fan 77
52. Kirsty Hodgkins 80
65. Esther Lee 81
94. Lauryn Keating 90
May 8-10, 2017 in Albuquerque, N.M.
12. (out of 18 teams) Denver 305
30. Jessica Dreesbeimdieke 75
30. Mariell Bruun 75
41. Jessica Carty 76
73. Lauren Whyte 79
80. Sophie Newlove 80
May 8-10, 2017 in Lubbock, Texas
16. Katrina Prendergast, Colorado State 74
16. Former CU golfer Natalie Vivaldi, San Diego State 74
26. Coloradan Hannah Wood, Oklahoma 75
61. Former DU golfer Elyse Smidinger, Oregon State 78
WOMEN’S NCAA DIV. II REGIONALS
May 8-10, 2017 in Wichita Falls, Texas
8. Mary Weinstein, Regis 75
May 8-10, 2017 in Canton, Ohio
5. Colorado resident Alex Trask, William Jewell College 73
MEN’S NCAA DIV. II REGIONALS
May 8-10, 2017 in Stockton, Calif.
8. (out of 20 teams) Colorado State-Pueblo 283
15. Jake Ice 69
15. Roy Carlsen 69
54. Neil Tillman 72
64. Jacob Allenback 73
64. GJ Kuhn 73
9. Colorado Christian 285
15. Josh Gardella 69
27. Chase Carlson 70
64. Jack Cummings 73
64. Hayden Nicholaides 73
87. Andrew Kennedy 75
19. Colorado School of Mines 290
15. Taylor MacKay 69
43. George Markham 71
76. Tim Amundson 74
92, Nic Beno 76
93. Eric Marshall 76
20. Colorado-Colorado Springs 293
15. Tanner Comes 69
27. Colin Prater 70
93. Ji Jang 76
103. Zach Berhost 78
107. Blake Young 80
Also
2. Trevor McKune, Colorado Mesa 66
76. Jordan McBrayer, Regis 74
