FRESNO, CA -- Fresno State overcame a seven-stroke deficit beginning the final round today to win the 2008 WAC women's golf championship by seven strokes over New Mexico State at the 6,125-yard, par-72 Sunnyside Country Club in Fresno, Calif. Fresno State senior Laura Luethke shot a 1-over par 73 to win the individual medalist honors by two strokes over New Mexico State freshman Suteera Chanachai. The team victory by the Bulldogs earns Fresno State an automatic bid into the NCAA regionals, May 8-10.
Fresno State had a tournament-best round of 295 on Wednesday to finish with a three-day total of 905 (+41). The Bulldogs jumped over second-round leader Hawai?i,which shot a 314 in the final round to finish in third place with a 917 (+53). New Mexico State also leapt over the Rainbow Wahine with a 298 today to finish in second with a three-day total of 912 (+48).
In the rest of the team competition, San Jose State was fourth (920, +56), Idaho fifth (923, +59), Boise State sixth (933, +69) and Nevada finished seventh (946, +82).
Luethke started the final round in a tie for second with Suteera Chanachai. Luethke shot a 1-under 35 on the back nine to secure her first WAC title. Chanachai finished in second with a 6-over 222. Her teammate, Brittany Collins, finished in third with a 7-over 223. Second-round leader Corie Hou of Hawai?i had a third-round score of 79 to drop into a tie for fourth.
The best round of the tournament came today when Boise State's Lindsey Shean shot a 2-under 70 while San Jose State's Cristina Corpus posted a 1-under 71.
Also announced today were the all-WAC teams and top awards.
San Jose State junior Erica Moston of Belmont, Calif., was voted the WAC's Player of the Year by the seven head coaches. Moston finished the WAC tournament in a tie for fourth place with an 8-over 224. Freshman of the year honors went to New Mexico State's Chanachai while Coach of the Year honors went to Fresno State's Angie Cates.
2007-08 Awards
First Team All-WAC
Laura Luethke, Sr., Fresno State
Xyra Suyetsugu, Sr., Hawai?i
Kelly Nakashima, Sr., Idaho
Suteera Chanachai, Fr., New Mexico State
Erica Moston, Jr., San Jose State
Second Team All-WAC
Taylor Siebert, Jr., Fresno State
Amanda Jacobs, So., Idaho
Melanie DeLeon, Jr., Nevada
Katrina Delen Briones, Fr., San Jose State
Cristina Corpus, So., San Jose State
Player of the Year: Erica Moston, San Jose State
Freshman of the Year: Suteera Chanachai, New Mexico State
Coach of the Year: Angie Cates, Fresno State