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The Malone College women’s golf team, directed by second-year head coach Max Baker, is gearing up for a very successful spring season against some top opponents in hopes of receiving an at-large bid to the NAIA National Tournament. Last fall, NAIA women’s golf altered its qualifying format to its annual spring national tournament by holding the regional automatic qualifying tournaments in the fall. Teams that won their respective region tournaments in the fall would automatically qualify for the NAIA National Championships the following spring. Several at-large bids to the national event would still be available, though, in the spring as teams played out their spring campaign.

 

Last fall, the Pioneers had the opportunity to host the NAIA Region IX Tournament at the Zoar Village Golf Course in Zoar, Ohio but the squad was edged out for the automatic bid to the NAIA National Championships held in South Bend, Indiana this May as they placed second among the eight-team field. Malone posted a total score of 368 for the 18-hole event as Walsh University won the team title with a 361 to earn the automatic berth. 

 

In addition to their second-place finish at the Region IX Tournament, the Pioneers also placed second in three additional tournaments last fall, including the six-team Walsh Invitational at the start of the season. Malone fired a score of 357, which was just one shot behind first-place Walsh (356). The Pioneers came back to win their lone match of the season a few days later at the seven-team St. Vincent (PA) College Invitational. This time, Malone easily outdistanced runner-up Walsh 361-374. The next week, Malone and Walsh once again flip-flopped places as the Pioneers’ score of 364 was just three shots behind winner Walsh at the Seton Hill (PA) University Invitational. The Pioneers also took second with a score of 734 (366-368) at the Ohio Dominican University Invitational while Walsh took the team title with a 704 (349-355).

 

Even though the team fell just short of automatic qualification, Heather Grovemiller (So., Perry H.S.) did not. Grovemiller qualified for the NAIA national event by virtue of her individual first-place finish at the regional tournament. She posted a score of 84 (41-43) and won in a playoff over Tiffin University's Kelly Rethman who also had an 84 (46-38). In addition to her medalist honors, Grovemiller also received All-AMC First Team honors for the second straight year.

 

Joining Grovemiller in the quest for a chance to compete in May at nationals will be Marissa Brown (Jr., John Glenn H.S.), Carinna Baldner (Fr., Hillsdale H.S.), Jenna Eason (Fr., Pahrump, Nevada), Megan Grubb (Fr., Lake H.S.), Heather Hall (Fr., Bellefontaine H.S.) and Carie Kindler (Fr., Sheridan H.S.).

Kindler paced the team in three matches last fall, including medalist honors at the St. Vincent tournament with a round of 86, while Eason posted a team-best score of 84 for the runner-up spot at the Seton Hill event. In addition, Grubb and Grovemiller tied for the team-best score at the Walsh tournament with rounds of 87.