STATS/POLL: Bruins 1st in Region, 7th Nationally in Stats; 8th in National Poll

NEWBERG, Ore. – After two fall tournaments, the George Fox University women’s golf team has jumped into the top spot in Region 5 (West) of the NCAA Division III and is rated seventh in the nation in the Golfstats.com national statistics, while climbed into the eighth spot in the latest Golf World / NGCA national poll.

Statistically, the Bruins are tied for sixth nationally and for first in the region with the University of Texas-Tyler in team scoring average (319.50) and in score vs. par (31.50), according to Golfstat.com, the official statistical service of the NCAA.  Their adjusted score of 31.23 is tops in the region and seventh in the country.

Individually, the Bruins’ Kelsey Morrison leads the region in average score (77.50) and score vs. par (5.50), and is tied for ninth in the nation in both categories.  Megan McGrew is tied for fourth in the region in average score (79.00) and score vs. par (7.00), and is tied for 24th nationally in each statistic.

Two other Bruins are listed in the top 30 in the region.  Jill Westendorf is tied for 13th in the West in average score (81.00) and score vs. par (9.00), while Abby Mann is tied for 26th in average score (82.00) and score vs. par (10.00).

George Fox opened its 2010-11 season by finishing sixth in the prestigious O’Brien National Invitational in Notre Dame, Ind., a tournament in which nine of the ten teams were pre-season top 11 picks (including the 11th-ranked Bruins) by Golf World and the National Golf Coaches Association.  Morrison, a Second Team All-American as a sophomore last year, tied for third at the O’Brien and was named to the All-Tournament Team.

The Bruins won their second tournament of the fall, the Pacific Fall Invitational, by 26 strokes over runner-up Whitworth University.  Freshman McGrew took medalist honors in that one.

Those two tournament showings enabled the Bruins to move from 11th to eighth in the Golf World / National Golf Coaches Association ratings.  The ratings will appear in the Golf World issue of Oct. 3 and are on line now at http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-tours-news/blogs/college-golf/womens-coaches-polls-1/.

George Fox collected 317 points in the coaches’ poll, the highest-ranked team from Region 5.  Methodist University remained the No. 1 team in the country with all 17 first-place votes and 472 points.   

"It is still very early in the season, and we realize that our team needs to continue to work hard to improve,” said Bruin coach MaryJo McCloskey.  “However, I must admit that I have been very pleased by our performances in our first two events, both at Notre Dame and at the Pacific Invitational.  We added several new players to our roster and the team has come together really well, which I believe is the reason that we have been successful.

"Our next two tournaments have us competing against some outstanding Division II talent, and then we finish the season with our Northwest Conference Fall Classic Championship event, so our schedule doesn't get any easier.  Our conference has two other schools in the top 25 in the Golfstat listing, so our conference is definitely very strong this year as well."

The next event for the Bruins this fall is the St. Martin’s University Invitational on Friday-Saturday, Oct. 7-8, at the Olympia Country and Golf Club in Olympia, Wash.