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AGGIES HEADED TO ALBUQUERQUE FOR NCAA REGIONAL
Fresh of its fourth-straight WAC title, NM State learned its postseason fate on Thursday morning and will be headed up I-25 to Albuquerque, N.M. for the NCAA Division I Women's Golf Regional on May 8-10.
Joining the Aggies at The Championship Golf Course at UNM will be Stanford, Southern California, Duke, Miami (Fla.), Oklahoma State, North Carolina State, California, Illinois, Pepperdine, Washington, Southern Methodist, Campbell, Denver, Cal Poly, Sacramento State, Houston Baptist and Texas Southern.
A total of 384 participants have been selected for regional competition. Of these players, 132 will advance to the championships finals. Six teams and three individuals will advance from each regional. The national championships will be May 19-24 at Rich Harvest Farms, in Sugar Grove, Illinois, hosted by Northern Illinois University. The final three days of the championship will be televised live by the Golf Channel.
NM STATE WINS FOURTH STRAIGHT WAC WOMEN'S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
NM State made it four straight on Friday afternoon at Indian Hills Country Club, winning the 2017 WAC Women's Golf Championship behind a first-place finish from freshman Pun Chanachai. The Aggies shot a 67-over-par 907 to finish five strokes ahead of UMKC.
Seattle U took third place with a 914. Utah Valley was one stroke back in fourth with a 915, followed by CSU Bakersfield, UT Rio Grande Valley and Chicago State.
Individually, Chanachai shot a 9-over-par 219 to hold off Utah Valley's Ana Margarita Raga by one stroke. Grand Canyon's Deanna Salvatori was third with a 12-opver-par 222.
NM State's Chanachai was named both WAC Freshman of the Year and WAC Player of the Year. The Aggies' Jackie Booth was named WAC Coach of the Year.
Second Team All-WAC
Deanna Salvatori, Grand Canyon
Mackenzie Black, UMKC
Valeria Macias, NM State
Kennedie Montoya, NM State
Ellen Brantberg, Seattle U
First Team All-WAC
Cynthia Diaz, UMKC
Pun Chanachai, NM State
Kristen Cline, NM State
Camille Orito, NM State
Ana Margarita Raga, Utah Valley
BY THE NUMBERS
NM State finished the regular season and conference championship leading the WAC in stroke average by a wide margin. The Aggies average 296.1 strokes per round, over seven strokes better than Seattle U (303.5). UMKC was third with a 303.9 stroke average. Individually, NM State freshman Pun Chanachai holds a 73.08 stroke average as she earned the trifecta by winning the WAC Championship and being honored as WAC Player of the Year and WAC Freshman of the Year.
NMSU'S BOOTH EARNS WGCA HONOR
New Mexico State women's golf coach Jackie Booth has been named the 2017 Gladys Palmer Meritorious Service Award Recipient. This award is the Women's Golf Coaches Association's (WGCA) most prestigious honor. Booth was recognized with the award on Sunday, December 11 at the WGCA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Las Vegas, Nev.
The Gladys Palmer Meritorious Service Award is given by the WGCA in recognition of outstanding service above and beyond the call of duty. The award honors individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the evolution and growth of women's collegiate golf.