COMMODORES FINISH SEASON TIED FOR 14TH AT NCAA TOURNAMENT

WEST LAFAYETTE, Indiana — The Vanderbilt University women's golf team advanced in its quest to become a perennial national power Friday when it finished tied for 14th at the NCAA Championships.

Freshman May Wood shot a second consecutive 73 (1-over) at the 6,225-yard Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex-Kampen Course and paced the Commodores' effort. Each Vanderbilt golfer made at least one birdie in the final round, and the team score of 304 (16-over) was its best of the championship.

The effort helped set the stage for what appears to be a bright future. All but one of this season's five regulars will return to a team that has qualified for the championship each of the last two years. In 2002, VU's first NCAA appearance, it finished 18th.

Wood made three birdies in the final round and finished the championship in a tie for 24th place, the second-best NCAA finish ever by a VU golfer. Her four-round total was 16-over par.

Junior Courtney Wood closed out the event with a 76 (4-over), which left her in a tie for 47th place at 20-over and gave VU two golfers among the top 50 at the NCAA for the first time ever.

Senior Nicki Cutler concluded her college career with a 78 (6-over). She finished tied for 64th (seven spots better than in 2002) at 23-over.

Junior Sarah Jacobs and sophomore Joni Gossett each were part of a group that finished tied for 106th at 38-over.

Day 3

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Vanderbilt Women's Golf Improves Score , 5/22/03
Final Round Action at the NCAA Tournament is Friday

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Indiana - The Vanderbilt University women's golf team continued to improve its scores and its standing Thursday at the NCAA Championship. With only Friday’s final round remaining, the Commodores have moved into 14th place and are 11 shots out of the Top 10. Southern California leads the field with a three-round total of 901 (+37).

"We're not playing poorly, but we’re just not getting it done," head coach Martha Freitag said. "We just haven't quite got on a roll yet, we're really close though."

Freshman May Wood shot a 1-over 73 and led the Commodores to a third-round total of 305, their best thus far at the 6,225-yard Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex-Kampen Course. They opened play with a 321 on Tuesday and followed that with a 312 in second-round action.

Wood made three birdies in her round and posted the best score yet by a VU player. Her three-day total of 15-over put her in a tie for 35th place and made her the Commodores' leader. Junior Courtney Wood shot her second straight 75 (3-over) in a round that included four birdies and a pair of double bogies. Through three rounds she is 16-over (T42nd).

Senior Nicki Cutler is one shot behind Courtney Wood following a 77 (5-over), her best round of the tournament, and is tied for 48th. Junior Sarah Jacobs (80, 8-over, 114th) and sophomore Joni Gossett (82, 10-over, T100th) rounded out VU's lineup.

"With one more day, we hope to put a good round together and leave on an up note and celebrate a successful season," Freitag said.

"I'm very proud of this team, they have worked hard and their attitudes are tremendous - I am pleased with their effort. You may not see it in their scores, but these players have matured and have become a better team. This just hasn't been our week."

Day 2

Women's Golf Moves to 15th Place at NCAA Championships 5/21/03

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Indiana - The Vanderbilt University women's golf team continued to battle not only an elite field but extreme conditions Wednesday at the NCAA Championships. The Commodores bettered their first-round total by nine shots and moved into sole possession of 15th place at the windswept Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex-Kampen Course.

Senior Nicki Cutler shot her second straight 78 (6-over) and remained VU's leading scorer while three of her four teammates improved their scores over the previous day. The effort left Vanderbilt alone in 15th place, one shot behind a quartet of teams (including top-ranked Duke) tied for 11th. Eighth-place Texas is only six shots in front. None of the 126 players in the field have shot a round better than par on the 6,225 yard layout.

"This is a really difficult course and then when you put heavy winds into the equation it makes it an extremely difficult golf course," coach Martha Freitag said. "A very small mistake is magnified due to the conditions and the difficulty of the course. "A lot can happen. It's very doable to finish in the top 10, if we step up."

Junior Courtney Wood posted the Commdores' best second-round score with a 75 (3-over), seven strokes better than the previous day. After going 5-over for the first nine holes she made two birdies with no bogies on the back nine. Freshman May Wood shot a 77 (5-over), which included an even par back nine. Cutler, in her final collegiate tournament, made two birdies in her final five holes and reached the midway point of the event tied for 29th. Sophomore Joni Gossett rounded out the scoring for VU with an 82 (10-over), and junior Sarah Jacobs added an 84 (12-over).

Day 1

Women's Golf Tied For 17th After First Round At NCAA Championships 5/20/03

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The Vanderbilt women's golf team is tied for 17th place after the first round of the 2003 NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championships. The 72-hole tournament, which is being played at Purdue's Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex (par 72, 6,225 yardage) continues Wednesday with the second round.

The Commodores finished the first day tied for 17th place in the 24-team field after shooting a 33-over-par score of 321. Despite being in 17th place, Vanderbilt enters the second round just 16 shots behind leader Southern California (305, +17).

Individually for the Commodores, senior Nicki Cutler leads the way as she finished tied for 23rd with a six-over-par score of 78. She enters the second 18 holes just six shots out of the tournament's individual lead.

Next up for the Commodores was Joni Gossett, who finished the first round tied for 47th with an eight-over-par score of 80. She was closely followed by May Wood, who enters the second round tied for 64th place after carding a round of nine-over-par 81.

Courtney Wood was fourth for Vanderbilt after finishing tied for 75th with a 10-over-par score of 82. Rounding out the Commodore squad was Sarah Jacobs, who finished tied for 102 with a 13-over-par of 85.