University of Tennessee Athletics
Lady Vols Capture First Tournament Crown Since 1997
March 06, 2001 | Women's Golf
Green Wave Golf Classic: Day 1 | Day 2
Junior Tina Schneeberger birdies the first playoff hole to take home medallist honors
NEW ORLEANS, La. -- For the first time in four years, the University of Tennessee women's golf team found itself at the top of the leader board at the completion of a tournament. With a back injury forcing junior Young-A Yang (Tae-Gu City, South Korea) to withdraw prior to round three, the team hit the course knowing that solid rounds were necessary Consequently, the four players combined to shoot the lowest round at the Green Wave Women's Golf Classic - a 305.
The Orange and White entered the day with a six-stroke lead over Southeastern Conference rival Vanderbilt, only to build that lead to a whopping 21 shots by the end of the day. The win is the first for the Lady Vols since 1997, when the team claimed the Duke Spring Invitational, and is the first under first-year head coach Judi Pavon. The result also matches the biggest margin of victory for the Big Orange previously set at the 1994 Memphis Women's Intercollegiate, as UT bested Lamar by 21 strokes.
With Yang out on the sidelines, fellow juniors Tina Schneeberger (WR-Neustadt, Austria) and Carrie Cole (Mansfield, Texas) stepped up their games to shoot final round 75s. Schneeberger's round vaulted her into a tie for first with Vanderbilt's Meredith Ward. After her birdie putt rolled in on the first playoff hole, Schneeberger brought home medallist honors for the first time in her career, and became the sixth different golfer to win a tournament in school history. The last Lady Vol to win an event was Malin Tveit, who accomplished the task in 1997 at the NCAA East Regional.
Cole jumped nine places from 16th into a tie for seventh place on the final day for her best career finish and the initial top-10 finish in her career. Sophomore Erin Simmons (The Woodlands, Texas), who led after two rounds of play, fired a final-round 78 to finish third with a total of 228. Freshman Tai Perry (Unionville, Pa.) continued her solid play of late with her sixth straight score of under 80 with a 77 to finish in a tie for 12th.
"I am proud of the way the team stepped up their play with Young-A out," stated Pavon. "We didn't start out all that well, but the team hung in there and pulled it out in the end. I am thrilled and excited for Tina; she recorded an eagle and several birdies in the final round to remain in contention and kept her focus in the playoff."
The last time the Lady Vols won both the team and individual titles at an event was in 1994 when Wendi Patterson led the team to victory at the Memphis Women's Intercollegiate. In addition, the Orange and White had four members among the top 12 for the first time since the 1999 Casa de Campo Ladies Championships in La Romana, Dominican Republic. Pavon's squad will attack the links again next Monday through Wednesday at the Betsy Rawls Intercollegiate in Austin, Texas, looking to win back-to-back titles for the first time since 1997.
TEAM STANDINGS INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS1. TENNESSEE 306-310-305=921 t1. Tina Schneeberger, UT^ 73-79-75=2272. Vanderbilt 307-317-318=942 t1. Meredith Ward, Vanderbilt 73-78-76=2273. Tulane 319-310-317=946 3. Erin Simmons, UT 76-74-78=2284. Kent State 317-315-317=949 t7. Carrie Cole, UT 78-78-75=2315. Louisville 319-315-318=952 t12. Tai Perry, UT 79-79-77=2356. Campbell 312-321-320=953 WD. Young-A Yang, UT 79-79-WD7. North Texas 320-316-326=962 8. Central Florida 323-310-330=963 ^ = won in playoff9. Georgia State 319-322-323=96410.Memphis 324-323-327=974
