FERRIS STATE CLAIMS FOURTH PLACE AT NCAA-II CHAMPIONSHIPS

Ferris State made its second consecutive NCAA Division II Championship appearance a noteworthy one as the Bulldogs placed among the nation's top four teams.

The Ferris State University women's golf team capped off its second straight storybook season as the Bulldogs claimed fourth place overall at the 2005 NCAA Division II Women's Golf Championships (May 11-14) in Albuquerque, N.M.

Ferris totaled a final-round 318 score in Saturday's (May 14) action to finish the sixth annual national tourney with a 1,251 stroke score (+83). The four-round total represents the best 72-hole national championship team score in the program's history, bettering last year's 1,264 effort at the 2004 NCAA-II Championships. The Bulldogs carded a team-best 304 round in Friday's (May 13) third-round competition on par 73, 6,069-yard the University of New Mexico's The Championships Course.

Two-time defending national champion Rollins (Fla.) claimed its third consecutive national title with a first-place 1,185 total (+17). Grand Valley State placed second (1,220, +52) and Florida Southern captured third place (1,243, +75) in the eight-team field.

Freshman Becky Hoffman was the Bulldogs' highest finisher as her 305-stroke total (+13) proved worthy of ninth place. She registered the tourney's second-best opening-round score with a 73 in Wednesday's (May 11) play. Junior Elena Robles matched Hoffman's final-round of 78 to conclude the event in 14th place with a 312 (+20). Sophomore Heidi Aittama tied for 29th place as a result of shooting a 322 (+30).

Freshman Becky Hoffman turned in a team-best ninth-place finish at the 2005 NCAA-II Championships.

Sophomore Casey McKinnon, who lead the Bulldogs with a 10th-place tying performance at the 2004 NCAA-II National Championships, placed 33rd in the field with a 324 (+32). Freshman Missy Ward gained a three-way share of 34th place on the basis of her 325 score (+33).

Grand Valley State's Melissa Sneller won the individual title with an even-par score of 292, one stroke in front of Florida Southern's Pamela Feggans's 293 (+1).

Ferris, under sixth-year head coach Brad Bedortha, placed among the nation's top four teams for the second consecutive season. The Bulldogs, who made their fifth NCAA-II Tournament appearance in the program's history this spring, recorded a school-record second-place tying performance at the 2004 NCAA-II Championships (May 12-16) in Longwood, Fla. FSU compiled a 1,264-stroke four-round total (+112) as the second-place tie marked the highest-placing ever for a Ferris State Women's Athletics team.

2005 NCAA-II Women's Golf Championship Final Results
1. Rollins (Fla.) 300-288-293-304--1,185 (+17)
2. Grand Valley State 305-299-298-318--1,220 (+52)
3. Florida Southern 308-313-307-315--1,243 (+75)
4. Ferris State 316-313-304-318--1,251 (+83)
5. Western Washington 320-323-313-314--1,270 (+102)
6. Minnesota State Mankato 315-326-313-338--1,292 (+124)
7. Nebraska-Omaha 322-333-310-337--1,302 (+134)
8. Drury (Mo.) 325-316-328-336--1,305 (+137)

Ferris State Individuals
9. Becky Hoffman 73-77-77-78--305
14. Elena Robles 81-80-73-78--312
T29. Heidi Aittama 76-78-87-81--322
33. Casey McKinnon 86-78-78-82--324
T34. Missy Ward 88-80-76-81--325