Lady Vols Close Season at NCAA Women’s Golf Championships

Monday, May 20

Fayetteville, AR

All Day

University of Tennessee

NCAA Championship

Lady Vols Close Season at NCAA Women’s Golf Championships

May 20, 2019 | Women's Golf

By: Zach Stipe

Results

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Junior Micheala Williams carded her 14th-round of par or better as the Tennessee women's golf team wrapped up the 2018-19 season on Monday at the NCAA Championships at Blessings Golf Club.

Williams fired an even-par 73 during the third round of stroke competition. She placed in a tie for 36th as Tennessee's top finisher at the national tournament.

The Lady Vols finished in 24th as a team with a final score of 950 (+74) on the challenging par-73, 6,397-yard course.

"This was a great experience for our young team," head coach Judi Pavon said. "We had a good season and made lots of improvement. Getting through regionals to play at the national championship was a huge step."

UT competed in its 14th NCAA Women's Golf Championship overall and made its 12th appearance under Pavon.

Tennessee finished in the top six in eight tournaments in 2018-19 with a pair of victories at the Starmount Classic in October and the Florida Atlantic Winter Warm Up in February.

Williams' 14 rounds of par or better tie for the sixth-most in a single season in school history, while her season average of 73.14 ranks as the seventh-lowest in the UT record book.

The Athens, Ala., native played most of round three at 1-under-par before a bogey on No. 8 – her second-to-last hole. Her 30 pars at the event led the Lady Vols and her eight birdies tied with sophomore Waverly Whiston and freshman Mikayla Bardwell for most on the team.

Williams was playing in her second-straight NCAA Championships after finishing t27th in 2018 after qualifying as an individual.

Senior Ariana Macioce recorded the only eagle of the tournament for the Lady Vols on the par-4 sixth hole. She used her driver off the tee to put the ball 30 yards to the right of the pin and hit a good pitch that took one hop before going in the hole.

Macioice was +6 on Monday and wrapped up at +28 for the tournament

Whiston will finished in a tied for 97th at +21 over the three rounds.

Bardwell was Tennessee's No. 2 player on Monday, carding a 78 (+5). She finished at +25 overall.

Sophomore Mariah Smith finished at +29.

Led by Texas (+7) and Duke (+14), the top eight teams advanced to match play.

Coach's Take
On Micheala Williams third-round 73:
"Micheala had a great spring and struggled with this course so it was good to see her finish up with a solid round. She got to know the course better each day and finally got through her round without any big errors." – Head Coach Judi Pavon

On Ariana Macioce's eagle on No. 6:
"Ari eagled No. 6 – a short par-4. She hit driver off the tee and left herself 30 yards just short and right of the pin. She had a blind shot for her and hit a good pitch that took one hop and went in the hole. I was there and was happy I got to see that shot." – Head Coach Judi Pavon

Round Three Scores:
Team (six teams will finish on Tuesday morning)
1. Texas +7 (883)
2. Duke +14 (890)
3. Southern California +17 (893)
4. Arkansas +24 (900)
5. Wake Forest +26 (902)
6. Arizona +28 (904)
7. Stanford +30 (906)
8. Auburn +39 ((15)
*Top 8 teams advance to match play*
9. Illinois +41 (917)
9. Purdue +41 (917)
11. Florida +42 (918)
12. Florida State +48 (924)
13. Northwestern +49 (925)
T14. Arizona State +50 (926)
T14. Ole Miss +50 (926)
T14. Virginia +50 (926)
17. Kent State +54 (930)
18. Washington +61 (937)
19. San Jose State +62 (938)
20. UCLA +65 (941)
21. Indiana +68 (944)
22. UCF +69 (945)
23. Vanderbilt +70 (946)
24. Tennessee +74 (950)

Tennessee Team
Micheala Williams     T36     229 (+10)
Waverly Whiston      T97     240 (+21)
Mikayla Bardwell      T113   244 (+25)
Ariana Macioce         121     247 (+28)
Mariah Smith           T122   248 (+29)