University of Tennessee Athletics
Photo by: Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
Women's Golf: 2019-20 Season Recap
March 31, 2020 | Women's Golf
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Despite Tennessee's spring season being cut short due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) global health crisis, the Lady Vols found some success throughout the fall and part of the spring.
At their own home tournament, UT finished fourth out of 16 teams after firing a final round of 274 (-10) to break the program record for the lowest recorded round.
The Big Orange recorded another top finish by placing fourth out of 11 at the Magnolia Invitational that featured four players inside the top-25 as the team recorded 282 strokes in the final round.
Another highlight for Tennessee was the White Sands Invitational in Nassau, Bahamas. The team finished fifth out of 14 teams and carded a team score of 867 (+3), including a low score of 279 in the third.
During the spring slate, the Lady Vols had their best finish of fifth out of 16 teams at the Westbrook Invitational. The team recorded a season-best score of 851 (-13) as sophomore Hadley Walts recorded a career-best round of 66 (-5) in the final round and placed inside the top-10 for the first time in her career.
Freshman Nicole Whiston also made some noise in her first year, finishing inside the top-25 seven times and in the top-10 on three occasions. Her average of 72.21 strokes a round also marked the lowest among the team.
Overall, Tennessee only competed in three tournaments in the spring – including a trip to Guadalajara, Mexico – before the season came to a halt.
Mikayla Bardwell
Bardwell placed in the top-25 five different times in eight tournaments throughout the 2019-20 season. Her best performance was when she competed as an individual at the Florida Gators Invitational, placing 14th after carding a 219 (+9).
Overall, the Lewisville, Texas, native averaged 73.21 strokes per round and recorded a career-best round of 67 at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship in the fall. Her average was the second-lowest recorded among the team.
Shelby Liford
Liford was the one of two freshmen on the squad this year and competed in the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship. She carded a 222 (+6) and tied for 40th overall at the home tournament.
Mariah Smith
The junior competed in three tournaments during the fall portion of the schedule and recorded a top-25 finish by tying for 20th at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship after carding a 217 (+1). Smith also competed at the Illini Invitational and White Sands Invitational, placing 58th and 51st, respectively.
Malia Stovall
The sophomore competed in six tournaments, including all three of the spring competitions. Her best performance was at the Westbrook Invitational when she competed as an individual and tied for 15th after recording a 211 (-5). During the same tournament she recorded her career-best round of 68 in the second. Stovall also competed in the IJGA Collegiate Invitational and the Florida Gators Invitational, placing 62nd and 30th, respectively.
During the fall, she placed in the top-25 at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship with 219 (+3) strokes. She also competed in the Cougar Classic and Illini Invitational, placing 47th and 64th respectively.
Hadley Walts
Walts competed in seven tournaments during the season, highlighted by her first career top-10 finish after carding a career-best round of 207 (-9). Her third round of 66 strokes marked the third-best third round performance in program history.
The sophomore also competed in the Florida Gators Invitational and the IJGA Collegiate Invitational during the spring slate, placing 56th and 57th, respectively.
During the fall season, Walts had her best showing at the Magnolia Invitational, tying for 37th. She also competed at the Illini Invitational and the Cougar Classic, tying for 50th and 54th, respectively.
Nicole Whiston
Whiston had a successful first season as a Lady Vol by finishing in the top-25 seven times out of eight tournaments and in the top-10 on three occasions.
During the fall portion of the season, Whiston tied for fifth overall at the Illini Invitational by recording 211 (-5) strokes. At the following tournament, she carded the same three-round score and finished sixth at the Magnolia Invitational. The other top-10 performance came from the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship, when she tied for ninth with 212 (-4) strokes.
In the spring, the freshman finished in the top-25 in two of the three tournaments. At the Westbrook Invitational, she carded a 214 (-2) and tied for 24th, while she placed 23rd at the Florida Gators Invitational with 224 strokes.
Waverly Whiston
The junior saw action in six tournaments during the season with her best performance coming from the Magnolia Invitational when she tied for 21st by carding a 222 (+6). Her next best showing was during the spring portion of the schedule, tying for 26th at the Westbrook invitational after shooting a 215 (-1).
Whiston carded a season-low three-round score of 220 twice during the fall schedule at the Cougar Classic and the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship, tying for 43rd and 32nd, respectively.
Micheala Williams
Williams was the lone senior on the squad this year and competed in all eight tournaments. She had her best performance at the Magnolia Invitational by placing seventh after recording 212 (-4) strokes. Her next best showing during the fall was at the White Sands Invitational, tying for 21st and carding 218 (+2) strokes.
In the spring, Williams moved up 11 spots on the leaderboard to tie for 27th with 227 (+15) strokes the Florida Gators Invitational. In the previous two tournaments, she placed 44th at the IJGA Collegiate Invitational and tied for 56th at the Westbrook Invitational.
During her time at UT, Williams competed in all 44 tournaments and averaged 73.78 strokes a round. She also has the second-best 18-hole round (65) and 54-hole round (206) in program history from the Florida Gators Invitational in 2019 and was the fifth UT player to qualify for the NCAA Championships in 2018.
Career:
At their own home tournament, UT finished fourth out of 16 teams after firing a final round of 274 (-10) to break the program record for the lowest recorded round.
The Big Orange recorded another top finish by placing fourth out of 11 at the Magnolia Invitational that featured four players inside the top-25 as the team recorded 282 strokes in the final round.
Another highlight for Tennessee was the White Sands Invitational in Nassau, Bahamas. The team finished fifth out of 14 teams and carded a team score of 867 (+3), including a low score of 279 in the third.
During the spring slate, the Lady Vols had their best finish of fifth out of 16 teams at the Westbrook Invitational. The team recorded a season-best score of 851 (-13) as sophomore Hadley Walts recorded a career-best round of 66 (-5) in the final round and placed inside the top-10 for the first time in her career.
Freshman Nicole Whiston also made some noise in her first year, finishing inside the top-25 seven times and in the top-10 on three occasions. Her average of 72.21 strokes a round also marked the lowest among the team.
Overall, Tennessee only competed in three tournaments in the spring – including a trip to Guadalajara, Mexico – before the season came to a halt.
Mikayla Bardwell
Bardwell placed in the top-25 five different times in eight tournaments throughout the 2019-20 season. Her best performance was when she competed as an individual at the Florida Gators Invitational, placing 14th after carding a 219 (+9).
Overall, the Lewisville, Texas, native averaged 73.21 strokes per round and recorded a career-best round of 67 at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship in the fall. Her average was the second-lowest recorded among the team.
| Tournaments | Rounds | Strokes | Average | Low | High | Par or Better | Top-25 |
| 8 | 24 | 1,757 | 73.21 | 67 | 77 | 7 | 5 |
Shelby Liford
Liford was the one of two freshmen on the squad this year and competed in the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship. She carded a 222 (+6) and tied for 40th overall at the home tournament.
| Tournaments | Rounds | Strokes | Average | Low | High | Par or Better | Top-25 |
| 1 | 3 | 222 | 74.00 | 71 | 76 | 1 | - |
Mariah Smith
The junior competed in three tournaments during the fall portion of the schedule and recorded a top-25 finish by tying for 20th at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship after carding a 217 (+1). Smith also competed at the Illini Invitational and White Sands Invitational, placing 58th and 51st, respectively.
| Tournaments | Rounds | Strokes | Average | Low | High | Par or Better | Top-25 |
| 3 | 9 | 667 | 74.11 | 70 | 80 | 3 | 1 |
Malia Stovall
The sophomore competed in six tournaments, including all three of the spring competitions. Her best performance was at the Westbrook Invitational when she competed as an individual and tied for 15th after recording a 211 (-5). During the same tournament she recorded her career-best round of 68 in the second. Stovall also competed in the IJGA Collegiate Invitational and the Florida Gators Invitational, placing 62nd and 30th, respectively.
During the fall, she placed in the top-25 at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship with 219 (+3) strokes. She also competed in the Cougar Classic and Illini Invitational, placing 47th and 64th respectively.
| Tournaments | Rounds | Strokes | Average | Low | High | Par or Better | Top-25 |
| 6 | 18 | 1,336 | 74.22 | 68 | 81 | 4 | 2 |
Hadley Walts
Walts competed in seven tournaments during the season, highlighted by her first career top-10 finish after carding a career-best round of 207 (-9). Her third round of 66 strokes marked the third-best third round performance in program history.
The sophomore also competed in the Florida Gators Invitational and the IJGA Collegiate Invitational during the spring slate, placing 56th and 57th, respectively.
During the fall season, Walts had her best showing at the Magnolia Invitational, tying for 37th. She also competed at the Illini Invitational and the Cougar Classic, tying for 50th and 54th, respectively.
| Tournaments | Rounds | Strokes | Average | Low | High | Par or Better | Top-10 | Top-25 |
| 7 | 21 | 1,568 | 74.67 | 66 | 83 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
Nicole Whiston
Whiston had a successful first season as a Lady Vol by finishing in the top-25 seven times out of eight tournaments and in the top-10 on three occasions.
During the fall portion of the season, Whiston tied for fifth overall at the Illini Invitational by recording 211 (-5) strokes. At the following tournament, she carded the same three-round score and finished sixth at the Magnolia Invitational. The other top-10 performance came from the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship, when she tied for ninth with 212 (-4) strokes.
In the spring, the freshman finished in the top-25 in two of the three tournaments. At the Westbrook Invitational, she carded a 214 (-2) and tied for 24th, while she placed 23rd at the Florida Gators Invitational with 224 strokes.
| Tournaments | Rounds | Strokes | Average | Low | High | Par or Better | Top-10 | Top-25 |
| 8 | 24 | 1,733 | 72.21 | 68 | 78 | 13 | 3 | 7 |
Waverly Whiston
The junior saw action in six tournaments during the season with her best performance coming from the Magnolia Invitational when she tied for 21st by carding a 222 (+6). Her next best showing was during the spring portion of the schedule, tying for 26th at the Westbrook invitational after shooting a 215 (-1).
Whiston carded a season-low three-round score of 220 twice during the fall schedule at the Cougar Classic and the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship, tying for 43rd and 32nd, respectively.
| Tournaments | Rounds | Strokes | Average | Low | High | Par or Better | Top-25 |
| 6 | 18 | 1,336 | 74.28 | 68 | 80 | 6 | 1 |
Micheala Williams
Williams was the lone senior on the squad this year and competed in all eight tournaments. She had her best performance at the Magnolia Invitational by placing seventh after recording 212 (-4) strokes. Her next best showing during the fall was at the White Sands Invitational, tying for 21st and carding 218 (+2) strokes.
In the spring, Williams moved up 11 spots on the leaderboard to tie for 27th with 227 (+15) strokes the Florida Gators Invitational. In the previous two tournaments, she placed 44th at the IJGA Collegiate Invitational and tied for 56th at the Westbrook Invitational.
During her time at UT, Williams competed in all 44 tournaments and averaged 73.78 strokes a round. She also has the second-best 18-hole round (65) and 54-hole round (206) in program history from the Florida Gators Invitational in 2019 and was the fifth UT player to qualify for the NCAA Championships in 2018.
| Tournaments | Rounds | Strokes | Average | Low | High | Par or Better | Top-10 | Top-25 |
| 8 | 24 | 1,767 | 73.63 | 68 | 78 | 8 | - | 1 |
Career:
| Tournaments | Rounds | Strokes | Average | Low | High | Par or Better | Top-10 | Top-25 |
| 44 | 128 | 9,444 | 73.78 | 67 | 80 | 41 | 11 | 20 |
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
WGolf | Diana Cantú | NCAA Championships - Round Three (5.18.25)
Sunday, May 18
WGolf | Bailey Davis | NCAA Championships - Round One (5.16.25)
Friday, May 16
WGolf | Diana Cantú | NCAA Championships - Round One (5.16.25)
Friday, May 16
WGolf | Diana Cantú Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Round One (10.20.24)
Sunday, October 20
