May 23, 2005

THAT’S A WRAP
The South Carolina women’s golf season came to an end at the 2005 NCAA Championships, played at the Sunriver Resort in Sunriver, Ore., as sophomore Jenna Pearson carded a four-day score of 79-79-72-73=303 to finish in a tie for 60th. The Gamecocks did not qualify for the event as a team.

GAMECOCKS COMPETE AT REGIONALS
The Gamecocks competed at the 2005 NCAA East Regional, played at the University of Florida Golf Course, falling just three strokes away from qualifying for the NCAA Championships as a team. Carolina finished ninth at the regional, with only the top eight teams moving on to the NCAA Championships. Jenna Pearson led the way for Carolina with a three-round score of 70-77-72=219 to finish 14th on the individual leader board. Pearson’s score was the second-lowest among players representing schools that did not qualify for NCAAs as a team, earning Pearson a spot in the NCAA Championship field as an individual.

NCAA FAMILIAR TERRITORY FOR COGGINS
South Carolina head coach Kristi Coggins is no stranger to NCAA play, as she has seen her team represented at the NCAA Championships in each of the last seven years. The Gamecocks qualified for NCAAs as a team in 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2003 and were represented by individual qualifiers in 2000 (Rebecca Lee), 2004 (Adrienne Gautreaux) and 2005 (Jenna Pearson). During Coggins’ 11-year tenure at Carolina, the Gamecocks have qualified for NCAA Regionals 10 times and the NCAA Championships six times, with their best finish coming in 1995, when the team finished ninth.

BATTLE HAS LOW STROKE AVERAGE
Junior Erica Battle finished with the lowest stroke average of anyone on the Carolina roster with a 77.00 mark, highlighted by a final-round 70 at the SEC Championships.

HOLE-IN-ONE AT NCAA REGIONALS
Freshman Whitney Simons aced the par-three 15th hole at the University of Florida Golf Course during the first round of the NCAA East Regionals. Simons was a key figure for Carolina all spring, and had the lowest score for any Gamecock at the 2005 SEC Championships.

YEAR OF THE FRESHMEN
Perhaps one of the biggest storylines for Carolina in 2004-05 was the high number of freshmen on the roster, and the strong contributions that the group provided. A total of four freshmen competed in three tournaments or more, with Caroline Rominger leading the way with nine tournaments played and a 77.67 stroke average. Simons came on strong in the spring to become one of the key players on the Gamecock roster. Simons’ 77.80 stroke average was the fourth-highest total on the team. Along with Rominger and Simons, freshman Blythe Worley earned a spot in the Carolina lineup for the SEC Championships, meaning that with the exception of Erica Battle and sophomore Jenna Pearson, the rest of the Gamecocks competing on the SEC’s biggest stage were true freshman.

SENIOR SALUTE
The collegiate career of senior Tiffany Catafygiotu came to an end in 2005. The lone senior on the roster, Catafygiotu was a three-year member of the SEC Spring Sports Academic Honor Roll. Catafygiotu competed for the Gamecocks at the 2003 NCAA East Regional and was also in the lineup for the 2003 NCAA Championships, helping the Gamecocks to 17th place finish nationally.

McCASLIN ON SEC GOOD WORKS TEAM
Junior Laura McCaslin earned a spot on the SEC Good Works Team for her efforts in the community. McCaslin has participated in the George I. Pair Elementary School Reading Program, the Teddy Bear Drive for State Troopers, World Children’s Day, Harvest Hope Food Drive, Coaches vs. Cancer and Toys for Tots. She has also visited children at Palmetto Hospital.

TEAM SETS ACADEMIC RECORD…TWICE!
The women’s golf team set a new school record in the fall semester, 2004 with a combined 3.671 grade-point average, then bettered that mark with a combined 3.832 grade point average in the spring semester, 2005. Following is list of the women’s golfers who earned academic recognition in the spring.

Spring, 2005
President’s List (4.0 GPA)
Erica Battle, Lauren Huhnerkoch, Laura McCaslin, Laura Raffo, Whitney Simons

Dean’s List (3.5+ GPA for non-freshmen / 3.25+ GPA for freshmen)
Tiffany Catafygiotu, Jenna Pearson, Caroline Rominger, Blythe Worley

Fall, 2004
President’s List
Whitney Simons, Blythe Worley

Dean’s List
Erica Battle, Tiffany Catafygiotu, Laura Raffo, Caroline Rominger, Lauren Huhnerkoch, Laura McCaslin