LA CROSSE, Wis. -- The Bellevue University women's golf team occupied five of the top six spots on the individual leaderboard as the Bruins ran away with the team title at the 2022 North Star Athletic Association Championships Tuesday afternoon at Wedgewood Cove Golf Club.
Allison Temple was the individual medalist and all 5 BU golfers earned first-team all-NSAA honors as BU improved on its first-round team total by 22 strokes, outdistancing second-place Viterbo University by 54 strokes.
The title marked the ninth conference championship for the Bruins in school history and qualified Bellevue for the NAIA National Championship on May 24-27 in Oklahoma City.
NSAA Tournament:
Location: Albert Lea, Minn.
Host: Waldorf University
Course: Wedgewood Cove Golf Club
Par: 72
Yardage: 5,806 yards
Teams: 6
Golfers: 30
Recap:
Entering the day with an 18-stroke lead in the team standings, the Bruins put together their best team total of the season, finishing with an 18-over team score of 306 to pull away from second-place Viterbo.
BU finished with a 36-hole total of 634, which was 54 strokes better than the second-place V-Hawks.
Allison Temple won her first NSAA individual title after finishing second in 2021. Temple finished the tournament at 7-over par with rounds of 76 and 75. She recorded 11 pars and a pair of birdies in Tuesday's second round. For her efforts, Temple was named the NSAA Golfer of the Year.
Freshman Maria Pinedo registered the top round of the tournament with an even-par 72 on Tuesday. She finished in second place overall at 12-over par. Her round consisted of three birdies, 12 pars, and three bogeys.
Freshman Megan Harty improved her first-round score by nine strokes, carding a 4-over 76, finishing the tournament in third place at 17-over par. On the back nine, Harty birdied three of the first four holes while finishing the backside with a 2-under 34.
Freshman Ilysia Ibnu matched her first-round total with an 11-over 83, finishing the tournament at 22-over par, putting her in a tie for fourth place. She had eight pars in her second round.
Junior Tylah Saifoloi finished in a tie for sixth place after registering an 11-over 83 to go with Monday's 13-over 85. She collected nine pars in the second round.
Head Coach Shelly Liddick was named the NSAA Women's Golf Coach of the Year. It marked the fifth time in her career she has earned the NSAA Coach of the Year honor.
Up Next:
The Bruins will compete in the NAIA National Championships on May 24-27 at the Lincoln Park Golf Club in Oklahoma City, Okla. It will mark BU's eighth appearance in the NAIA National Tournament.
