United Athletic Conference

 

Grand Canyon's Courtney Vogel has been named Western Athletic Conference Women's Golfer of the Week for Feb. 6 to Feb. 12.

 

Vogel, a junior from Fountain Hills, Ariz. (Pacific Grove HS), birdied three of the last four holes to lift GCU to a one-shot victory for the team title at Battle at the Rock. She finished the tournament with a 1-over-par 217 to tie for third place in the individual standings. Consistently lowering her score each round, her 14 birdies during the tournament were tied for the lead and her 3-under-par 69 in the final round tied her season low. She ranked third in the WAC this season in scoring average at 73.2 strokes per round.

 

Other women's nominees: California Baptist's Yifei Wang tied for 10th at the Battle at the Rock, shooting a 4-over-par 220 … CSU Bakersfield's Vanessa Watkins led the 'Runners with three rounds in the 70s to tie for 50th at the Battle at the Rock with a 15-over-par 231 … UT Rio Grande Valley's Emma Mesta tied for 50th at the Texas State Invitational after shooting a 15-over-par 228 … Utah Valley's Carly Dehlin Hirsch had five birdies in the final round to card a 3-under-par 69 to tie for third at the Battle at the Rock with a 1-over-par 217.

 

The spring schedule is underway as six of the nine schools have teed it off already in 2019. This week will be light as NM State is the only program in action, traveling to Las Vegas for the Rebel/Beach Invitational.

 

WAC-newcomer California Baptist sits atop the team leaders in stroke average at 295.1 through 15 rounds played. NM State is second at 298.5 followed by defending champion Grand Canyon in third at 298.7. NM State's Dominique Galloway is the top individual with a stroke average of 72.7. CBU's Erica Wang is second by thousandths of a stroke at 72.7 while GCU's Courtney Vogel is third at 73.2. NM State's Pun Chanachai is fourth at 73.8, followed by CBU's Yifei Wang in fifth at 73.9.

 

California Baptist took to the course for their first NCAA Division I tournament on Sept. 15 at the USA Intercollegiate in Mobile, Ala. and the Lancers made quite the entrance, earning the team title with a 4-under-par 860. Grand Canyon's Courtney Vogel earned the WAC's first individual title of the season, winning the Rose City Collegiate with a 2-under-par 211. Vogel also led the Lopes to a team title at the Battle at the Rock to open spring play while NM State's Pun Chanachai tied for medalist honors at the Mission Hills Individual Invitational.

 

California Baptist is the newest member of the Western Athletic Conference as the Lancers begin the four-year transition to NCAA Division I. While CBU will not be eligible to compete for the team title until the 2023 WAC Championship, the Lancers will be able to compete as individuals at the WAC Championship. In 2018, California Baptist placed second at the NCAA Division II Championship.

 

The 2018 WAC Women's Golf Championship heads to the Pacific Northwest and Oakbrook Golf Club in Lakewood, Wash. Built in 1966, Oakbrook Golf Club features hundreds of oak trees and immaculate turf conditions. In 2012, Oakbrook opened its doors to the public after 56 years of private operations. Ryan Moore, PGA Tour professional and Tacoma native, brings his knowledge of championship golf to Oakbrook Golf Club through Ryan Moore Golf ownership, to continually improve the golf course and elevate the overall guest experience.