FSU WOMEN'S GOLF TEAM SELECTED FOR NCAA REGIONAL PLAY

There's good news and even better news for the Ferris State University women's golf program.

The 2003-04 FSU team will not only be participating in next week's (May 4-5) 2004 NCAA Division II East Regional, but for the first-time ever in school history will serve as host of the postseason tournament at FSU's Katke Golf Course in Big Rapids, Mich.

The Bulldogs, coached by Brad Bedortha, are among six teams competing in this spring's East Regional, which was announced recently by the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Committee. Comprising the East Region field besides host Ferris State is top-seeded Grand Valley State, Northern Kentucky, Southern Indiana, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, and Indianapolis. Bellarmine's Jessica Harbin along with Jamie Long and Jamie Pettinga, both of Northwood, were the top three individuals not affiliated with one of the six qualifying teams to be chosen for regional competition.

Senior Ellie Saladin and the Bulldogs will play host to the 2004 NCAA Division II East Regional next week.

The other three (West, North and South) regional tournaments will also take place May 4-5 to determine the championships field. Regional tournaments are considered preliminary rounds of the NCAA championships competition, and all national championships policies will apply. Each regional consists of both teams and individual competition conducted concurrently. All participants will compete throughout the 56 holes of competition. The top two teams and the top two individuals not with a team, from each regional, will advance to the championships.

The 2004 NCAA-II Women's Golf Championships will be held May 12-15 at The Legacy Club at Alaqua Lakes in Longwood, Fla. The finals are being hosted by the Central Florida Sports Commission in conjunction with the Division II National Championships Festival. The championships will consist of both team and individual competition. All participants will compete throughout the entire 72 holes of competition. In the team competition, the low four scores for each team will count in each day’s total score.

In order to be considered for the national championships, teams and individuals must have played a minimum of 15 18-hole rounds including a minimum of four rounds in the spring. The individuals and teams were selected to the championships base upon a complete review if all the following criteria (within the region): head-to-head competition within regions, results versus common opponents, scoring average (adjusted scoring average and team and individual score versus par), strength of schedule (number of teams in tournament, rounds of competition and overall strength of tournament fields), and spring results compared to fall results.

A season ago, Ferris State placed third of six teams with a three-round 985 score at the NCAA-II East Regional, which was held May 6-7 at the Findlay (Ohio) Country Club. FSU, which entered the regional seeded second, compiled rounds of 330, 327 and 328 but didn't qualify for the 2003 national tournament.

East Region Teams
1. Grand Valley State
2. Northern Kentucky
3. Southern Indiana
4. Southern Illinois-Edwardsville
5. Indianapolis
6. Ferris State

East Region Individuals
1. Jessica Harbin, Bellarmine
2. Jamie Long, Northwood
3. Jamie Pettinga, Northwood