The Malone women’s golf team, led by fifth-year head coach Max Baker, recently capped off a very successful spring season by winning the AMC/NAIA Region IX Title and advancing to the NAIA National Championships for the first time in six years. After recording a convincing 22-stroke victory at the seven-team regional event, the Pioneers went on to finish 22nd out of 23 teams at the NAIA National Tournament which was held in late May at the Lake San Marcos Country Club in San Diego, California.

 

Malone tallied a four-round total of 1467 at the national event as Oklahoma City University captured the national title at 1267. Embry Riddle (FL) University finished as the runner-up at 1270 and Cal State San Marcos was third at 1264.

 

Freshman Jennifer Snyder (Wexford, PA) paced Malone in San Diego with a score of 362 (88-88-93-93) while sophomores Jen Blocker (Westerville H.S.) and Elena Duncan (Winona Lake, IN) each followed with scores of 370. Blocker posted rounds of 94, 91, 91 and 94 while Duncan came in with scores of 92, 90, 90 and 98. Senior Heather Hall (Bellefontaine H.S.) finished with a total of 377 (93-93-97-94) while Laurie Grubb (So., Lake H.S.) carded a score of 379 (103-89-96-91).

 

At the 36-hole, two-day NAIA Region IX Championship that was hosted by Walsh University at the Sanctuary Golf Course in North Canton, the Pioneers tallied a score of 720 to easily defeat runner-up Urbana University which posted a total of 742. Duncan led the way for Malone, finishing in a tie for second overall with a score of 177.  Blocker followed right behind, finishing in a tie for fourth place at 178. Snyder carded a 181 to place seventh, Hall fired a 184 to claim the ninth spot, and freshman Alyssa Westfall (Ashland H.S.) finished in a tie for 18th with a score of 198. In recognition of their outstanding play, Duncan and Blocker were both named to the All-Tournament First Team while Snyder and Hall each earned All-Tournament Second Team honors.

 

In addition to its impressive performance at the regional tourney, Malone also posted a pair of second-place finishes earlier in the season. The squad opened spring competition by hosting the fourth annual Ohio Cup at Zoar Country Club. The Pioneers finished second among a six-team field at the event which was contested in a non-traditional format with five different types of play (alternate shot, scramble, stroke play 1, stroke play 2, and match play). Malone scored a total of 28 points to post its second-place finish as Ohio Northern University won the even with 31 ½ points. Malone opened with a third-place finish in the alternate shot (4 points) and then placed fourth in the scramble (3 points). A strong second-place showing in stroke play 1 earned the team five points followed by a third-place finish in stroke play 2 (4 points). The top finish in match play, with six wins and no losses, earned the team 12 points and ultimately lifted them into their final second-place overall finish. 

           

The squad then went on to post another second-place finish at the Wittenberg University Invitational among a 15-team field. Malone tallied a score of 358 as Otterbein College won the tournament with a round of 329. Blocker earned All-Tournament honors, placing fifth overall with a score of 85 while Duncan tied for 11th place with a score of 89. Westfall finished 18th at 91, Snyder tied for 19th at 93, and Grubb tied for 45th with a score of 103.

           

The Pioneers not only excelled on the course this season, but Malone also did very well in the classroom as junior Carinna Baldner (Hillsdale H.S.) was named an NAIA Scholar Athlete.