April 20,
2004
NIU Women's
Golfers Getting Ready For 2004 Mid-American Conference Championships
DEKALB, IL -
Northern Illinois' women's golf team will put its season-long improvement
to the test this weekend when it competes at the 2004 Mid-American
Conference Championships in Indian Springs, OH, on April 23-25.
Just the second 54-hole tournament for NIU during the spring season,
the Huskies are coming off a successful stint at the Illinois Spring
Classic (April 9-10), where they finished seventh overall including
a win over MAC rival Ball State.
Consistency has been the key for the surging Huskies, as the emergence
of freshman Lisa Bailey coupled with the steady play of her sister,
Jackie Bailey, and fellow sophomore Jackie Heslop has helped the
Huskies become a formidable opponent come this weekend.
"I am really pleased with the way everything is coming along
this spring," head coach Pam Tyska said. "We have had
three or four rounds where players have shot personal bests and
that is obviously encouraging. We were left looking for that third
and fourth scorer earlier in the year, but as the season has progressed,
we have made some strides."
Jackie Bailey has been the team's most prominent performer during
the spring as she comes off her best outing of the year, a tie for
17th at the Illini Spring Classic. At the 36-hole event in Urbana,
IL, Bailey strung together consecutive rounds in the 70's including
a season-best 75 in the final round.
"Jackie (Bailey) has been consistent all spring," Tyska
said. "She is coming off a tremendous tournament at the University
of Illinois where she put up some career numbers, so she is ready
for the MAC Championships."
Her sister, Lisa Bailey, has also been a steady performer during
the spring, registering a pair of top-30 finishes, with a top-20
placing coming at the Snowbird Classic during the team's spring
break swing through Florida. Third on the team in stroke average
(83.9), Bailey has seen that average drop to 82.5 during the spring,
thanks to three rounds in the 70's.
"Her comfort level was the key," Tyska said. "She
feels comfortable playing in that top half of the lineup and her
scores have improved as a result."
While the steady play of the Bailey sisters has carried the Huskies'
hopes throughout the spring, top performer, Jackie Heslop, could
be the key for NIU this weekend. Tops on the team with an 81.9 stroke
average, the Pequat Lakes, MN, native rebounded from an 81st-place
finish at the SIU Saluki Invitational to finish 26th at Illinois
two weeks ago. The owner of three top-10 finishes this season, Heslop
has finished in the top 30 in five of nine events this year.
"Jackie (Heslop) has the capacity to be right up there for
us," Tyska said. "She rebounded nicely from the SIU tournament
and will obviously be an important part of our success this weekend."
After an up-and-down fall season, junior Jamie Carney has settled
into the team's No. 4 spot after her contributions in each of the
last-three tournaments. Aided by three straight top-40 finishes,
Carney was the top NIU golfer at the March 28-29 SIU Saluki Invitational,
where she shot rounds of 84-83-167 to not only lead the team, but
tie for her best finish of the season, 33rd. In the last-three events,
Carney is averaging an 82.5 stroke average, well up from her season
norm of 85.5.
"Jamie was our team-leader at Southern Illinois just a couple
of weeks ago, so that tells you about her ability," Tyska said.
"She had been a consistent performer up to that point as well,
so we are expecting more of that at the MAC Championships."
Wrapping up the team's active roster for the MAC Championships will
be senior Irish Whalen. Whalen was one of the team's top performers
during the fall season, registering two top-20 finishes, including
a tie for sixth at the Western Illinois Westerwind Invitational
on Sept. 12, 2003. A veteran of the MAC Championships, Whalen finished
third among NIU golfers at last season's championships after opening
the tournament with a team-best 82.
"I have been impressed with the play of Irish (Whalen) throughout
the qualifying process," Tyska said. "She is playing much
better golf right now and has the ability to play a big role for
this team."
Western Michigan University will serve as host for the 2004 Mid-American
Conference Women's Golf Championships. Kent State is the defending
champion, winning last season's event with impressive three-day
total of 888. The Golden Flashes claimed the title by 37 shots over
second place Eastern Michigan.
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