- WOMEN END FALL ON A HIGH NOTE
- GOLFERS IMPROVE ON DAY TWO
- PIONEER WOMEN FINISH THIRD
- WOMEN'S GOLF TEAM SIGNS FIRST RECRUIT
- WAYLAND TO START WOMEN'S GOLF PROGRAM
WOMEN END FALL ON A HIGH NOTE
Oklahoma City, Okla.---Taysha Butler shot a season-low 77 in the second round of the OCU Women’s Fall Classic to help lead the Wayland Baptist women’s golf team to a fifth place tie at the 2008 OCU Women’s Fall Classic held Monday and Tuesday at Lincoln Park Golf Club.
The Pioneers, who are now done with their fall season, finished the first round in sixth place after shooting a 336, but shaved nine strokes off that total on the second 18 to move into the tie with Southwestern College. Both schools shot a 36-hole total of 663.
Butler, a sophomore from Canyon, ended up in a tie for 11th place with a 158 (81-77). Freshman Ashlee Jones, who paced the Pioneer women on Monday with 79, shot an 80 on Tuesday to finish in a tie for 13th.
Plainview’s Jordan Brumley made the biggest improvement over the two day event, taking 12 strokes off her opening round 92 to end up at 172, tying her for 24th. Ayne Magombe, a freshman from Tanzania, finished in 27th with a 174 (84-90).
Click here to few final results.
GOLFERS IMPROVE ON DAY TWO
Goodyear, Ariz.---The Wayland Baptist Pioneer women’s golf team shaved 11 points off their first round score to finish in a tie for tenth place with a two-day total of 655 at the Grand Canyon Women’s Fall Invitational at Coldwater Golf Club.
Fifteen teams took part in the 36-hole tournament which began Monday morning. California Baptist, which was the #7 team in the final NAIA Coaches Poll last spring, took top honors with a two-round total of 614.
Taysha Butler, a sophomore from Canyon, was the individual leader for the Wayland women’s team, which is in its first year of existence. Butler opened with 79 and then came back with an 80 to finish tied for 20th.
Sophomore Ashlee Jones of Albuquerque and Plainview freshman Jordan Brumley both ended up with 163. Jones took three strokes off her first round total of 83 on Tuesday, while Brumley shot an 81 on the first 18 and an 82 on the second.
Rebounding from a rough opening round, freshman Ayne Magombe of Tanzania came back to shoot an 80 on Tuesday to finish with a 170.
Click here to view final results.
PIONEER WOMEN FINISH THIRD
LaVeta, Col.---Four young women representing Wayland Baptist stepped on the links for the first time in school history this week. Taysha Butler of Canyon, Ashlee Jones of Albuquerque, Jordan Brumley of Plainview, and Anye Magombe of Tanzania combined to finish a respectable third place at the Peak’s Classic Golf Tournament held Monday and Tuesday at Grandote Peaks Golf Club.
“I’ve never been more thrilled about the women’s golf program at Wayland than I am right now,” said Tom Harp, head coach of both the Pioneer men’s and women’s golf programs, following Tuesday’s final round. “This is a very talented group of young ladies and I think they are going to be more successful this season than anyone has a reason to expect.”
The Pioneer women were just one stroke out of second place after the first day of play with a 337, but struggled somewhat in Tuesday’s breezy conditions to shoot a 342 to finish with a 679. The University of Victoria won the team championship with a two-round total of 661 (327-334), while Western Texas College was second with a 669 (336-333).
Butler shot a two-round total of 161 (82-79) to finish in fifth place. Jones was tenth (84-86-170), Magombe 11th (82-89-171) and Brumley tied for 12th (89-88-177).
“The girls had such high expectations going in that I think they were a little disappointed, but that’s a good thing to see. It just goes to show how competitive they are and I’m sure they will work even harder to improve their game.”
Click here to view final results.
WOMEN'S GOLF TEAM SIGNS 1ST RECRUIT
Jordan Brumley, a senior member of the Plainview High School girl’s golf team, recently signed a letter of intent to become the first member of Wayland Baptist University’s new women’s golf program. Sister of current Pioneer men’s golfer and All-American J.J. Brumley, Brumley is a two-time 1st team All-District honoree for the Lady Dogs.
“We are very excited to have Jordan join our team,” said Tom Harp, head coach of the WBU golf programs. “Her skill level is already high, and her potential to play at the collegiate level is great. Over the next four years she has the ability to become an accomplished college player.
“This is a great place for her to be, and she is a great person for us to have. We couldn’t ask for a better person in which to start up our program. It will also be a pleasure to have her parents, Donnie and Diana, remain a part of Pioneer golf for four more years.”
Brumley helped lead the PHS girl’s team to a 2008 District Championship with her second place individual finish. A year ago, she finished fourth at district, was a 2006-07 2nd team All-Region selection after coming in 8th in regional competition, and was honored with the Top Dog Award in Girl’s Golf at the PHS Sports Banquet.
As a sophomore, Brumley earned 2nd team All-District honors, finishing sixth during district competition, and was an honorable mention All-Region selection.
Off the course, Brumley is an Honor Roll student who is ranked 15th in her class. She was the Business Woman of the Month in January of this year, and spent to years as a PHS Cheerleader.
WAYLAND TO START WOMEN'S GOLF PROGRAM
The Wayland Baptist University Board of Trustees of Wayland Baptist University recently approved a proposal to initiate women's golf as an intercollegiate athletic program beginning with the 2008-09 school year.
According to WBU Director of Athletics, Dr. Greg Feris, the development of a women’s golf program has been a long-term goal of the Wayland athletic department.
“We believe that it is both feasible and productive for the university to field a women’s golf team at this time, and are pleased that the administration has provided the support to take this initial step. With the addition of golf, our women’s intercollegiate offerings will now be at seven: volleyball, cross country, soccer, basketball, indoor track, outdoor track, and golf.”
Coach Tom Harp is head of the WBU golf program and Mikel Martinson, a two-time NAIA All-American at Wayland, is his assistant. Under Harp’s leadership, the Pioneer men have made five straight NAIA Championship appearances, finishing sixth in 2006 and second last year, and have captured ten tournament titles since 2002. The 2008 Pioneer men are ranked ninth in the latest NAIA Top 25 Coaches Poll.
Feris says that the new team will join seven other women’s golf programs in the very competitive Sooner Athletic Conference. Oklahoma City University, the three-time NAIA National Champion, is once again ranked number one this year. Other top 25 teams are #5 Lubbock Christian University, which is in its fourth year of existence, and #11 Southern Nazarene University.
“The SAC traditionally sees three or four of our teams ranked in the NAIA top ten. Our hope is to be competitive from day one, but we are fully aware that it will take time to raise the program to the status of our men's team. Coach Harp and Coach Martinson are currently recruiting the best talent available.”