April 12, 2014

Eagles take aim at third SAC title in six years

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman’s women’s golf team sets its sights on its third Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Golf Championship in the last six years when it begins play at this year’s tournament in Sevierville on the Highlands Course at the Sevierville Country Club.

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman's women's golf team sets its sights on its third Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Golf Championship in the last six years when it begins play at this year's tournament in Sevierville on the Highlands Course at the Sevierville Country Club.

The Eagles last SAC title came in 2011. They also won in 2009. Newberry has won the last two tournament titles and one in 2010.

"We are excited about this opportunity and feel as if we have prepared well," Carson-Newman head women's golf coach Suzanne Strudwick said. "Our players have worked incredibly hard over the last month and it's starting to come together.

"We must keep in mind though that we still have to work hard for our results. We have to be confident in our preparation and keep our effort level high."

The Eagles are the top-seeded team for the event after finishing the regular season with the lowest stroke average in the conference. The Eagles finished the year with a 321.2 stroke average - two-tenths of a point better than Wingate.

Carson-Newman is led by South Atlantic Conference co-golfer of the year Meridith Hawkins (Powell, Tenn.)

Hawkins turned in a 78.1 stroke average for her sophomore year. Out of eight events, Hawkins finished in the top 20 four times and earned all-tournament honors at the Smokey Mountain Intercollegiate and the World Golf Invitational.

She has the only two par/under-par rounds for Carson-Newman women's golf this season. She shot a 71 in the second round of the Smokey Mountain Intercollegiate and a 72 in the final round of the World Golf Invitational.

Danielle Baiunco (Melbourne, Fla.) and Kelli Pemberton (Knoxville, Tenn.) joined Hawkins on the all-conference teams, earning honorable mention honors.

Baiunco produced an 80.9 stroke average for the year bolstered by a top-10 finish at the Agnes McAmis Memorial in the Eagles' final tournament of the regular season. She had her best round – a 76 – at the Guy Harvey Invitational in early October.

Pemberton garnered the final spot on the honorable mention all-conference team with her 81.6 stroke average. She has one sub-80 round for the year.

This is the first year since 2010 that Carson-Newman has had three players win All-SAC honors. In that year, Sarah Jane Sinard and Jessica Tarbet made the first team; Erica Ray and Melanie Manis brought home second team honors.

Last year at the SAC tournament on the Highlands Course, the Eagles finished fourth, but closed the tournament with a 320, the best team round of round three. Hawkins earned all-tournament honors, much as she did earlier this year at the Smokey Mountain Intercollegiate on the same course.

In that event, the Eagles ripped the course to shreds in the second round with a 299 to finish sixth and as the top SAC team in that event.

The Eagles begin their day at 10:45 a.m. when Lauren Hodge tees off from the first hole.