Late Surge Delivers Top 35 Season for Team and Toumpsin
South Carolina used strong showings in the postseason to finish the 2007-08 season ranked No. 32 in both the Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index and GolfStat Head-to-Head Standings. After struggling in the spring, recording just one finish inside the top 10 in the first four events, the Gamecocks took fifth in the SEC Championship then rallied for a share of sixth in the NCAA East Regional before closing the year in the NCAA Championship for the first time in five years.

Individually, sophomore Bénédicte Toumpsin finished the year ranked 29th in the GolfStat Cup Standings with a 74.03 average. In the Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index, which factors in strength of schedule, Toumpsin finished 26th in the nation with a 184-153-11 record against the top 100 players in the nation.

Postseason Pop
After finishing sixth in the NCAA East Regional, the Gamecocks advanced to the NCAA Championship for the first time in five years. In their 10th-consecutive appearance in the East Region, the Gamecocks placed sixth and sophomore Bénédicte Toumpsin picked up her first career victory with a 214 (-2) at the event. She became the first Gamecock to win an NCAA regional since Siew Ai Lim picked up individual honors in the 1995 East Regional.

In the NCAA Championship, the Gamecocks were solid early and late, but stumbled in the middle rounds to finish 22nd with a 72-hole total of 1,235. Senior Camila Mori and Toumpsin led the way with top-50 showings. Toumpsin’s final-round 72 (E) was the low round of the tournament for the Gamecocks.

Changing Grip
South Carolina named Kalen Anderson as the new women’s golf head coach in January 2008 after Kristi Coggins announced her resignation. Anderson assumed the reins immediately, leading the Gamecocks to a share of seventh place at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic. Her championship influence on the team came to fruition in the postseason where sophomore Bénédicte Toumpsin became the first Gamecock to win an NCAA East Regional in 13 years. The team went on to play in its first NCAA Championship in five years.

As a player, Anderson was a three-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection at Duke, helping the program win its first national championship in 1999. She also earned National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) Second-Team All-America status in 2000. After graduating in 2001, she played four years on the FUTURES Tour before returning to her alma mater as an assistant coach for two seasons.

Future’s So Bright…
While seniors dominated the 2007-08 Gamecock roster, it was the team’s young players that spearheaded South Carolina’s performance at the SEC Championship. While the field was aware of sophomore Bénédicte Toumpsin’s game, which was on full display en route to her third-place finish, league foes caught a glimpse of what the Gamecocks have in store for next year when sophomore Taylor Barrett claimed 14th place. Her career-best total of 226 (+10) came with an exclamation point as she fired a season-best 71 (-1) in the final round.

Toumpsin Racks Up Honors
Sophomore Bénédicte Toumpsin put together a second season with the Gamecocks that rivaled her record-setting freshman campaign in 2006-07. Etching her name alongside some of the program’s elite, Toumpsin became the program’s third All-American, joining Kristy McPherson and Siew-Ai Lim, who each earned the honor multiple times. She was the first Gamecock to earn first-team All-SEC honors since 2004 and earned the program’s first NCAA East Region individual title since 1995.

Toumpsin collected five top-five finishes during the season, including three top-three showings. Her third place in the SEC Championship was the best standing by a Gamecock since McPherson took third at the event in 2003. Three weeks later, she was named Golfweek Player of the Week after collecting her first career victory and joining Lim as the only Gamecocks to win an NCAA Regional. Toumpsin led the event wire-to-wire but had to come up with consecutive birdies on the last two holes to hold off Duke’s Amanda Blumenherst in the final round.

With a 74.03 average, Toumpsin finished the season ranked eighth in the SEC and 29th in the GolfStat Cup Standings. Her career-best average topped that of her freshman year by more than a stroke and is the fourth-best in school history. Toumpsin wrapped up her season by collecting Third-Team All-America honors from Golfweek and honorable mention All-America status from the NGCA

Simons Exits A Scholar
Senior Whitney Simons closed her decorated career with several awards that honored her commitment both on and off the golf course. She earned a spot on the SEC Women’s Golf Community Service Team and was the University of South Carolina’s nominee for the McWhorter Post-Graduate Scholarship. Additionally, Simons earned the University’s President’s Award, which recognizes a senior student-athlete for extraordinary talent in athletics, scholarship, leadership and service.

From the beginning of her career, Simons was an active member of the University community. As a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee she served as its history vice-president and then as its president her senior year. She also volunteered with the Harvest Hope Food Bank, Epworth Children’s Home, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and First Tee Golf Clinics.

As the University’s McWhorter nominee, Simons earned a $5,000 post-graduate scholarship. The Aiken, S.C., native graduated with a degree in international business and finance. She was a four-time SEC Academic Honor Roll Selection, made the President’s List five times, Dean’s List twice and received the National Golf Coaches Association Scholar award three times. She was also the 2006 SEC Women’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

The Fearsome Foursome
South Carolina enjoyed a nine-player roster that included four seniors. Camila Mori, Laura Raffo, Whitney Simons and Blythe Worley contributed to four NCAA East Regional appearances, one NCAA Championship outing and two NGCA Academic All-Scholar Teams of the Year in four seasons.

Mori finished her three-year Gamecock career with a 77.08 average to rank fifth in school history. Ranked 42nd in the nation in fairways hit in 2006-07, she was the team’s top finisher in the 2008 NCAA Championship, taking 41st place. As a senior, she was second on the team with a 77.07 average.

Raffo was a two-time NGCA All-American Scholar who played in 19 events during her career. Eight of those tournaments were during her sophomore year when she posted a 78.04 average. Raffo finished a career-best 21st at the 2008 Lady Puerto Rico Classic after tying her career-low round of 72 on the opening day.

Simons is right behind Mori on the Gamecocks’ all-time scoring average chart as her 77.33 mark is the sixth-best in school history. She enjoyed her best season as a sophomore when she collected five top-20 finishes and a career-best 75.90 average. Simons shot her single-round career-low of 70 in her first round as a senior, however. A three-time NGCA All-American Scholar, she was the 2006 SEC Women’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Named the University’s Co-Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, in 2008 Worley played in 34 events in her career, pulling in three top-15 finishes. Her best finish was a share of seventh place at The Derby Invitational in 2006, and she posted her career-low score of 70 twice, including the final round of the Lady Tar Heel Invitational her senior year. A three-time NGCA All-American Scholar, she closed her career ranked seventh in Gamecock history with a career average of 77.35.