PELLA, Iowa --- Wartburg College fired a 364 Saturday at Bos Landen Golf Course to cap off its sixth consecutive Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) women's golf title and eighth crown overall.
The Knights (307-312-347-364--1330), who weathered cold, windy conditions for a second straight day on a difficult Bos Landen layout, outdistanced Luther (317-318-374-367--1376) by 46 strokes, which ranks as the third-largest margin of victory in championship history. Simpson (328-347-364-368--1407) took third followed by Loras (334-331-375-374--1414) and Central (332-331-371-399-1433). Dubuque (352-363-399-400--1514), Coe (357-356-405-408--1526) and Buena Vista (371-365-439-429--1604) rounded out the field.
Simpson's Jennifer Gaffney fired a final-round 86 to finish at 324 overall and captured medalist and IIAC Golfer of the Year honors by two strokes over Loras' Abby Potts. Potts rebounded from a 94 Friday with the low round of the day Saturday with an 80. Central's Ashley Smith and 2010 medalist Kelsi Sawatzky tied at 330, but Smith took third place via a cardback tiebreaker.
Wartburg's Samantha Heinen placed fifth at 331, one shot ahead of Laura Davis and Katie Gaudian, both of Luther, who each fired 332 over 72 holes. Davis prevailed over Gaudian in the cardback, taking sixth place in the process. Wartburg's Taylor Roberts (334) was eighth, followed by Central's Kelsey Van Tasell (335) in ninth and Wartburg's Molly McDonough (341) in tenth. Wartburg nearly made it five in the top 10, but Morgan McMillin finished one stroke out in 11th place at 342. The top 10 individuals in the medalist race earn all-Iowa Conference recognition.
Gaffney is the fourth individual from Simpson to be named Iowa Conference Women's Golfer of the Year, totaling a league-high nine honors. She is also the seventh Simpson golfer to earn medalist honors and the first since Janelle Claiborne in 2004.
Severson Named Coach of the Year -- Wartburg head coach Monica Severson was named the 2012 Iowa Conference Women's Golf Coach of the Year after leading the Knights to their eighth title in nine years. It is the fourth Coach of the Year award for Severson in women's golf (2008, 2010, 2011). She was also a two-time IIAC Women's Basketball Coach of the Year (1991-92, 2000-01).
With the victory, Wartburg collected the Iowa Conference's AQ to the 2013 NCAA Division III Women's Golf Championships May 14-17 at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Destin, Fla.
IOWA CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Pella
(Bos Landen G.C., par 72)
FINAL ROUND RESULTS
Teams -- 1. Wartburg, 1330; 2. Luther, 1376; 3. Simpson, 1407; 4. Loras, 1414; 5. Central, 1433; 6. Dubuque, 1514; 7. Coe, 1526; 8. Buena Vista, 1604.
Top 10 individuals (All-Iowa Conference) -- 1. Jennifer Gaffney (SIM), 324; 2. Abby Potts (LOR), 326; 3. Ashley Smith (CEN), 330*; 4. Kelsi Sawatzky (WAR), 330*; 5. Samantha Heinen (WAR), 331; 6. Laura Davis (LUT), 332*; 7. Katie Gaudian (LUT), 332; 8. Taylor Roberts (WAR), 334; 9. Kelsey Van Tasell (CEN), 335; 10. Molly McDonough (WAR), 341.
* - tie broken via cardback
WARTBURG(1330): 4. Sawatzky, 330; 5. Heinen, 331; 8. Roberts, 334; 10. McDonough, 341; 11. Molly McMillan, 342
LUTHER (1376): 6. Davis, 332; 7. Gaudian, 332; t14. Annika Ring, 358; 18. Kate Traxler, 361; 20. Isabelle Krogh, 375
SIMPSON (1407): 1. Gaffney, 324; 12. Stacy Bergeson, 346; 19. Jessica Lerdal, 367; t21. Molly Hill, 378; t21. Kiley Wermersen, 378
LORAS (1414): 2. Potts, 326; t14. Lauren Gonner, 358; 17. Mara Simonson, 359; t21. Megan Gregg, 378; t24. Kathryn Belanger, 379
CENTRAL (1433): 3. Smith, 330; 9. Van Tasell, 335; 27. Chelsey Shuey, 381; 32. Emily Fisher, 398
DUBUQUE (1514): 13. Lauren Smith, 347; 28. Nikole Blewett, 383; 29. Alisha Terry, 388; 34. Dionna Jensen, 408; 36. Lauren Allen, 414
COE (1526): t14. Chelsea Crain, 358; t24. Amber Suhr, 379; 26. Kayla Koschmeder, 380; 35. Tarissa Hagenow, 409; 38. Addy Joss, 428
BUENA VISTA (1604): 30. Jasey Zander, 392; 31. Arinda Abbuhl, 394; 33. Megan Sweeney, 403; 37. Nora Seda, 415; 39. Ashley Miller, 460
IIAC Player of the Year -- Gaffney
IIAC Coach of the Year -- Monica Severson, Wartburg
Wartburg secures the Iowa Conference's AQ to the 2013 NCAA Division III Women's Golf Championships May 14-17 at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, Destin, Fla.
