Willamette Women's Golf Team to Battle Top Opponents at NWC Tournament

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Strong finishes at the NWC Fall Classic and the NWC Spring Classic have the Willamette University women's golf team in a position to battle for one of the top spots in the Northwest Conference this season. The first two tournaments were each worth one-fourth of the NWC team title. The final half will be determined at the NWC Tournament, set for Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27 at the OGA Golf Course in Woodburn, Ore.

The NWC Tournament will begin with the first round on Saturday, April 26 at 11 a.m. (PDT). The second round will start on Sunday, April 27 at 9 a.m.

Willamette sits in third place in the NWC standings with 12.5 points. The Bearcats took third place at the NWC Fall Classic and tied for second at the NWC Spring Classic.

George Fox University holds first place with 15 points, and Whitman College is second with 13 points. Each team in the standings at the Fall Classic and the Spring Classic was awarded points on an 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1-0 basis.

Whitworth University is fourth in the current standings with 11.5 points, while Lewis & Clark College is fifth at 8 points, and Pacific Lutheran University is sixth with 6 points. Linfield College holds seventh place with 4 points, Pacific University is eighth with 2 points and the University of Puget Sound is ninth with no points.

The team that wins the NWC Tournament this weekend will received 16 points. Fourteen points will go to the team in second place, with 12 points for third place, 10 points for fourth, etc.

Taneesh Sra (So., Fremont, CA/Mission San Jose HS) of Willamette is one of the golfers capable of winning medalist honors at the NWC Tournament. She placed second at the NWC Spring Classic. Another contender is Sydney Maluenda of George Fox, who took first place at both the NWC Fall Classic and the NWC Spring Classic.

Other top challengers are Katie Zajicek from Whitman, who placed second at the Fall Classic, as well as Melissa Nugent of GFU, who placed third at the Spring Classic. At the Fall Classic, Abigail Heringer of Linfield was third and Catelyn Webber of Whitman was fourth.

Sra will be joined in the Willamette lineup by LettaJoe Gallup (Jr., Alameda, CA/Holy Names HS), Mckenzie Weinhold (Jr., Placerville, CA/El Dorado HS/Univ. of Nevada-Reno), and Elise Levy (So., Reno, NV/Bishop Manogue HS). Last year, Sra was chosen Second Team All-NWC. Weinhold was named Second Team All-NWC in 2011-12.