FERRIS STATE GOLFER RECEIVES NGCA ALL-AMERICA RECOGNITION

Casey McKinnon Named To Honorable Mention Team

*2003-04 National Golf Coaches Association Division II Women's Golf Award Winners* PDF

Sophomore Casey McKinnon (St. Ignace/LaSalle) of the Ferris State University women’s golf team has been named to the 2003-04 National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) Division II Women’s Golf All-America Honorable Mention Team as announced recently at the annual NGCA Division II Awards Banquet in Orlando, Fla.

Casey McKinnon displays her trophy at the NCAA Championships as she helped lead the Bulldogs to their best finish ever in the program's history.

McKinnon, who helped Ferris State to its highest finish ever with a second-place tying performance at the 2004 NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championships (May 12-15), was among nine individuals to receive honorable mention accolades. McKinnon was joined on the nine-member team by Grand Valley State’s Kristi Vienneau while her teammate Melissa Sneller attained first-team plaudits. Charlotte Campbell of two-time defending national champion Rollins (Fla.) was tabbed the NGCA’s Division II Player of the Year while West Florida’s Clara Fornella was selected the Division II Softspikes Freshman of the Year.

McKinnon’s selection to an All-America team represents the fifth time a Bulldog women’s golfer has attained such recognition. Kathryn Bobbie was a three-time All-American, earning first-team kudos twice (2000-01 and 2002-03). Amy Summers became Ferris’ initial All-American in the 1991-92 campaign.

A redshirted walk-on, McKinnon turned in a notable performance this season by garnering both All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) First-Team and GLIAC Freshman of the Year kudos. She also was recently named the winner of the FSU women’s golf team’s Bulldog Award, which is presented annually to a squad member who displays the most dedication and hard work. McKinnon’s 81.64 stroke average (2,286 strokes) in 28 rounds was second best on the team and the 12th-best among Ferris’ all-time single-season leaders. She led the Bulldogs with seven top 20 placings, including three in the top five. She tied for the top individual medalist at the Findlay (Ohio) William “Bing” Beall Classic (Sept. 28-29) and proceeded to win a sudden death one-hole playoff following a two-round 154 regulation score. The 2004 GLIAC All-Academic pick was also FSU’s leading performer at the GLIAC Championships (April 17-18) with a second-place 158 score and then turned in a third-place 155-stroke total at the Ashland (Ohio) Invitational (April 24-25). In postseason action, McKinnon carded a three-round 247 total at the NCAA-II East Regional in Big Rapids to tie for 11th place and then registered a team-leading 10th-place tying four-round 311 score at the NCAA-II National Championships.

The criteria for being selected a NGCA All-American consists of NCAA qualifying averages (all rounds minus three highest rounds), tournament victories and average place of finish, quality of field in tournaments and being a NCAA Medalist (automatic inclusion). The NGCA, which began in 1983 as an organization to promote participation in women’s golf, is the premier member-driven association for women’s golf coaches at NCAA Division I, II and III institutions. The 250-plus member NGCA, which is headquartered in Chicago, Ill., encourages the playing of intercollegiate golf for women in correlation with a general objective of education and in accordance with the highest tradition of intercollegiate competition.

Ferris State, under fifth-year head coach Brad Bedortha, finished in a second-place tie with a four-round 1,264 score (+112) at the 2004 NCAA-II National Women’s Golf Championships held at The Legacy Club at Alaqua Lakes in Longwood, Fla. The Bulldogs, who tied Florida Southern for second place, recorded the highest placing ever for a FSU women’s athletics team by surpassing the 1998 Bulldog softball team’s third-place national tourney finish. Ferris, which made its fourth national tournament appearance this spring, surpassed its previous high of fourth place at the 1992 NCAA-II Championships (May 4-6) in Fayetteville, N.C., when the Bulldogs carded a 1,015 score for 54 holes.