South Florida Wins C-USA Women's Golf Championship

SHALIMAR, Fla. The University of South Florida posted four rounds in the 70s to erase a second-round deficit and win the 2000 Conference USA Women's Golf Championship Sunday at Shalimar Pointe Golf and Country Club.

Four South Florida golfers carded rounds in the 70s as the Bulls posted a final-round 304 to finish the tournament with a 914 total and win the Conference USA championship for the third consecutive season. Louisville finished as the tournament runner-up, two strokes behind, while Tulane finished third with a 921 total. USF entered Sunday's final round trailing Tulane by one shot.

Individually, Louisville's Katherine Mowat claimed individual medalist honors. She defeated South Florida's Angie Connell with a birdie on the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff. Both players finished the 54-hole tournament with a three-round total of 220 (+4). Freshman Marianne Ruud of Memphis, who posted the tournament's low round with a 68 on Sunday, finished third at 221. Tulane's Meghan Bolger (226) finished fourth, while Louisville's Cindy Pasechnik and South Florida's Kelly Lagedrost rounded out the top five tied at 228. All five players earned C-USA All-Tournament honors.

Louisville head coach Kelly Meyers earned league Coach of the Year honors after guiding the first-year program to runner-up honors. Tulane junior Pam Buff was named Conference USA Player of the Year in a vote by the league's head coaches.

The 54-hole tournament was contested at Shalimar Pointe Golf and Country Club, a par 72, 5,898-yard layout.

Team Standings:
1. South Florida, 309-301-304=914;
2. Louisville, 298-312-309=919;
3. Tulane, 302- 307-312=921;
4. Memphis, 306-319-303=928;
5. Southern Mississippi, 310-323-317=950;
6. UAB, 333-320-321=974;
7. Cincinnati, 324-335-322=981.

Top 15 Individuals:
** 1. Katherine Mowat, Louisville, 70-75-75=220;
2. Angie Connell, South Florida, 75-72-73=220;
3. Marianne Ruud, Memphis, 73-80-68=221;
4. Meghan Bolger, Tulane, 75-76-75=226;
5. Cindy Pasechnik, Louisville, 77-78-73=228;
5. Kelly Lagedrost, South Florida, 75-77-76=228;
7. Katie Rakel, Cincinnati, 73-81-75=229;
7. Jessica Hayes, South Florida, 81-72-76=229;
9. Sandra Hellsvik, Memphis, 77-77-76=230;
9. Kathy Schafer, Tulane, 74-80-76-230;
11. Marella Canepa, Southern Miss, 75-80-76=231;
12. Heather Lourie, UAB, 80-77-75=232;
12. Jamie Sims, Southern Miss, 76-80-76=232;
14. Pam Buff, Tulane, 77-73-83=233;
15. Maria Salling, UAB, 80-76-79=235;
15. Marcela Gonzalez, Tulane, 76-80-79=235;
15. Jessica Kell, Louisville, 74-79-82=235.

** won four-hole playoff.

All-Conference USA
Pam Buff, Jr., Tulane
Kelly Lagedrost, Jr., South Florida
Angie Connell, Jr., South Florida
Meghan Bolger, Sr., Tulane
Marella Canepa, Jr., Southern Miss
Katherine Mowat, Jr., Louisville
Kathy Schafer, Fr., Tulane
Erin Doyle, Sr., Southern Miss
Valerie Luehrs, Sr., Memphis
Jessica Hayes, Jr., South Florida
Cindy Pasechnik, Fr., Louisville

Player of the Year
Pam Buff, Jr., Tulane

Freshman of Year
Marianne Ruud, Memphis

Coach of the Year
Kelly Meyers, Louisville

All-Tournament Team
Katherine Mowat, Jr., Louisville
Angie Connell, Jr., South Florida
Marianne Ruud, Fr., Memphis
Meghan Bolger, Sr., Tulane
Cindy Pasechnik, Fr., Louisville
Kelly Lagedrost, Jr., South Florida