By: By Hunter McKay
Tournament #6: Amelia Island Collegiate
Date: February 20-21, 2017
Location: Amelia National Golf Club : Fernandina Beach, Florida
Host: Jacksonville University
No. of Teams: 17
Format: 54-holes of stroke play with 36 holes on Monday and 18 holes on Tuesday
Links: Live Scoring | Twitter |
Women's Golf Stats |
Rhyll Brinsmead Interview
Tournament Preview
Following a strong finish to the fall season, the Kennesaw State women's golf team will open the spring season at the Amelia Island Collegiate at the Amelia National Golf Club in Fernandina Beach, Florida.
The tournament will consist of 54 holes, with 36 holes on Monday and 18 holes on Tuesday.
The Owls grabbed a runner-up finish at the 2014 Amelia Island Collegiate and tied for third there last season.
Under the leadership of tenth-year head coach
Rhyll Brinsmead, the Owls have their eyes set on a second ASUN Conference Championship and NCAA Regional appearance in the last three seasons, while also looking to make history as the first KSU women's golf team to advance to the NCAA Championship.
The Field
The 17-team field includes Jacksonville, Bradley, Campbell, Cincinnati, Daytona State, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Mercer, Morehead State, North Florida, Sam Houston State, Samford, Tulsa, UNC-Asheville and Winthrop
Lineup
1.
Dulcie Sverdloff
2.
Medy Thavong
3.
Laura Estefenn
4.
Charlotte Charrayre
5.
Maddi Caldwell
Quotable
"This is always a really exciting time of year. Our last event was in October so we're coming off a long off season and a really productive early spring practice. The team is eager to compete and put into motion what we've been focused on for the past 5 weeks. The productivity we've had at practice since January is at such a high level I am beyond excited to see what this team can do. This event will pit as against many east region teams. Historically we've had success on this golf course so we will be looking to repeat that again Monday and Tuesday."
- Head Coach Rhyll Brinsmead
Owls Finish Fall Tied for Fifth at Palmetto Intercollegiate
The Kennesaw State women's golf team closed out the fall season on a strong note in windy conditions at the Palmetto Intercollegiate on Tuesday (Oct. 25). The team finished in fifth place after the third and final round at the par-72, 5,972-yard Turtle Point Golf Club in Kiawah Island, S.C.
The Owls posted a final round 9-over par 297 with a 30-over par total of 894 for the tournament to grab their fourth top-10 team finish of the fall. Campbell shot a 5-over par 293 for a total of 15-over par 879 to grab the team title.
Next Up
The Owls will return to action Mar.17-19 at the 3m Augusta Invitational hosted by Augusta University Forest Hills Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.
KSU Team Notes
Owls Solid during the Fall Season
The Owls posted five Top 15 and four straight Top 10 finishes as a team to close out the fall season. Sophomore
Medy Thavong led the way for the Owls in the fall with a 73.67 scoring average, three top 10 finishes and a win at the Johnie Imes Invitational. Her 36-hole score of 139 is the lowest in program history, while her total score of 211 is the second lowest 54-hole score on a par 72 course in program history. Her win was the seventh individual tournament victory by a KSU player since 2005-06.Senior
Dulcie Sverdloff had another strong fall posting a 74.27 scoring average and two top 20 finishes. Her second round five-under par 67 at the Johnie Imes Invitational is the Owls lowest individual round this season. The senior enters her final spring of collegiate golf needing to complete just 11 rounds to become the all-time leader in career rounds played at KSU.
Henriette Nielsen played in four fall tournaments and posted a 75.83 scoring average has returned to form after an injury hampered her for most of her sophomore season. Senior
Laura Estefenn collected her second career ASUN Conference Women's Golfer of the Week accolade after leading the Owls at the Lady Paladin Invitational Sept.23-25. Sophomore
Charlotte Charrayre closed the fall with a tied for 31
st place finish at the Palmetto Intercollegiate. The Owls are hopeful that reigning ASUN Player of the Year
Clara Aveling can return to action after being injured during the fall.
Talented Transfer Madison Caldwell Joins Team
When the Owls return to action, in the spring, there will be a new face on the roster. Madison Caldwell, a sophomore, has a signed a grant-in-aid agreement and will join the team in the spring of 2017. Caldwell comes to KSU after playing her freshman season at Western Carolina. She played in all 10 of the team's tournaments a year ago, finishing third on the squad with a seasonal stroke average of 77.32. The Dawsonville, Georgia native carded 22 of 28 rounds in the 70s with a career-low of 69 in the final round of the Ole Miss Rebel Intercollegiate. The Bogota, Columbia native opened the three-day tournament with a four-over par 76 before following it up with rounds one-over par 73 and even-par 72 to finish tied for 34
th.
Charlotte Charrayre had her best finish of the fall of the fall at the Palmetto Intercollegiate where she finished tied for 31
st. Reining ASUN Player and Freshman of the Year
Clara Aveling was injured during the first tournament of the fall and the Owls are hopeful she can return to her strong play in the spring.
Thavong Named ASUN Player of the Week
Kennesaw State women's golf sophomore
Medy Thavong earned her first career ASUN Conference Women's Golfer of the Week after collecting her first collegiate win at the Johnie Imes Invitational earlier this week, the league announced on Thursday (Oct.6).
The Prachinburi, Thailand native opened the two-day tournament with a 2-under par 70 before following it up with rounds of 3-under par 69 and even-par 72 to finish with a total of 5-under par 211. Her 36-hole score of 139 is the lowest in program history, while her total score of 211 is the second lowest 54-hole score on a par 72 course in program history. Her win was the seventh individual tournament victory by a KSU player since 2005-06.
Estefenn Named ASUN Player of the Week
Senior
Laura Estefenn collected her second career ASUN Conference Women's Golfer of the Week accolade after leading the Owls at the Lady Paladin Invitational Sept.23-25, the league announced on Thursday (Sept.29). The Bogota, Columbia native opened the three-day tournament with a four-over par 76 before following it up with rounds one-over par 73 and even-par 72 to finish tied for 34th. Her round of 72 is tied for the KSU individual season-low round this season. For the tournament, Estefenn, rolled in eight birdies and 34 pars.
A Season of Growth
The 2015-16 Kennesaw State women's golf campaign featured a very young competitive squad that featured four underclassmen and two upperclassmen. The team collected a win at the Terrier Intercollegiate. The Owls registered seven top-10 finishes and five top-5 finishes while rookie
Clara Aveling took home Freshman and Player of the Year, and ASUN Medalist honors, respectively. Junior
Dulcie Sverdloff and Aveling earned first-team honors, while
Medy Thavong was named to the second-team and earned All-Freshman Team accolades along with Aveling and
Charlotte Charrayre.
Sverdloff and Thavong Earn Academic Honors
Dulcie Sverdloff and
Medy Thavong were named to the 2015-16 Women's Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar Team. Sverdloff was named to the WGCA All-American Scholar team for the third year in a row while majoring in sports management with a 3.71 GPA. Thavong earned a 4.0 GPA while majoring in International Business.
Owls in the Rankings
Kennesaw State was ranked No.94 by Golfweek and No. 92 by Golfstat heading into play this week.
Head Coach Rhyll Brinsmead
Head coach
Rhyll Brinsmead is in her 10th season at the helm of the Kennesaw State women's golf program. In her time as an Owl, she has led KSU to a pair of Atlantic Sun Conference titles and NCAA Regional Championship appearances, coming in 2011-2012 and 2014-15. A talented golfer in her own right, Brinsmead played collegiately at Texas State and graduated in 2004.
To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State women's golf news follow the team on Twitter
@KSUOwlNation and @
KSUOwlsWmnsGolf or by liking Kennesaw State University on
Facebook.
#GoKSUOwls
