For Immediate Release: February 7, 2001
Contact: Derek Smolik, UTPA Director of Athletic Media Relations

Southern Methodist Takes Title at Lady Bronc Women’s Golf Classic Wednesday
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s Newman-Gillespie takes Medallist Honors

Photos from the Tournament - Day 1
Photos from the Tournament - Day 2

MISSION, TEXAS – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s Melissa Newman-Gillespie shot her third consecutive sub-80 round in windy conditions to come from behind and win medallist honors, while Southern Methodist overcame a sluggish final round to win the team title, as play wrapped up at the Lady Bronc Classic on Wednesday at The Club at Cimarron.

Newman Gillespie, a sophomore from Kamloops, British Columbia, found herself in second place after the first day of competition, four shots back of leader Danielle Netschi of SMU.  But Netschi shot a final round 83, opening the door for Newman-Gillespie, who shot a 78 after rounds of 77 and 77 on Tuesday.  Her three-round total was 232.  She edged out both Netschi and Linda Chen of UTEP, who shot the low round of the day, a 76 to finish at 233.

“I just tried to play the best I could,” said Newman-Gillespie.  “I didn’t worry about my place, I just let the scores take care of itself.  I’m happy with my performance and my consistency.  I managed to keep my head together.”

In the team competition, the Mustangs had their worst round of the tournament, but the 16-stroke advantage they built up on day one held up as they won by 15 strokes over McLennan Junior College.  MCC shot the low team round of the day, a 321 to improve to second place.  Lamar dropped to third place, Oral Roberts finished in fourth, UTEP took fifth, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi was sixth and UTPA finished seventh.

“The wind really affected us today,” said SMU Head Coach Todd Selders.  “We were worried about holding the lead, so the pressure and the wind helped balloon our scores highest than I want.  We just need to do a better job of keeping the ball out of the wind.  I’m glad we came down for the tournament.  It was a great win and I’m grateful that we were invited.”

The Lady Broncs finished the tournament with their best round, a 330, but were a disappointing seventh place after winning the tournament in 2000.  The highlight of the day was freshman Melissa Head, who shot a 78, tying her for the second best round of the day.  Tootie Lauzon was the top individual for the Lady Broncs with a 16th place finish.  Crystal Frazier took 23rd as an individual, Itziar Unanue was 27th, Jeannie Lane and Head tied for 32nd and Adraina Espinoza was 33rd.

“Today, considering how tough the win was, we played decent,” said UTPA Head Coach Barb Odale.  We did improve, which is what we wanted to do.  Our putting killed us the whole tournament and that’s what we’ll be working on.”

The Lady Broncs will return to action on February 19-20 when they travel to Corpus Christi to participate in the Islander Spring Invitational.

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                    Lady Bronc Classic            
                    The Club at Cimarron     Mission, TX    
                         FINAL RESULTS
                    Tournament Dates: 02/06 - 02/07
                              Par:        72                
                              Yardage:  6134                
 Fin Team                     Scores  
   1 Southern Methodist       319  309  330    958   +94 
   2 McLennan C.C.            328  324  321    973  +109 
   3 Lamar University         341  306  329    976  +112 
   4 Oral Roberts Univ.       337  316  324    977  +113 
   5 Texas El Paso, U. of     335  325  321    981  +117 
   6 TX A&M CorpusChristi     326  327  329    982  +118 
   7 Texas-Pan American       336  343  330   1009  +145 
* Individual
                              Par:        72                
                              Yardage:  6134                
 Fin  Name                  School      Scores  
   1  M. Newman-Gillespie   CorpusChrs   77  77  78 232  +16
   2  Linda Chen            UTEP         81  76  76 233  +17
      Danielle Netschi      SMU          77  73  83 233  +17
   4  O. Maria Jonsdottir   Lamar        80  76  78 234  +18
   5  Brooke Fincher        O. Roberts   84  74  78 236  +20
   6  Alessandra Perez      CorpusChrs   79  79  79 237  +21
   7  Kelli McKandless      McLennan     79  78  82 239  +23
   8  Missy Ryan            SMU          83  77  80 240  +24
   9  Ashlie Simmons        McLennan     81  82  78 241  +25
  10  Heidi Brown           O. Roberts   82  82  78 242  +26
  11  Kandace Burnette      McLennan     82  81  80 243  +27
  12  Julie Crooks          SMU          78  81  85 244  +28
      Kelle King            SMU          84  78  82 244  +28
  14  Catrin Joyce          Lamar        85  78  84 247  +31
      Jacque Bennight       Lamar        87  76  84 247  +31
  16  Tootie Lauzon         Tx-Pan Am    82  84  83 249  +33
      Ashley Mitchell       SMU          81  83  85 249  +33
  18  Kayla Duhr            McLennan     86  83  81 250  +34
      Amy Wilmon            UTEP         83  82  85 250  +34
  20  Helen Sharp           Lamar        89  79  83 251  +35
      Paola Alverez         O. Roberts   84  81  86 251  +35
  22  Krystal Mehaffey      UTEP         87  86  79 252  +36
  23  Tonia Niblette        Lamar        91  76  86 253  +37
     *Crystal Frazier       Tx-Pan Am    86  77  90 253  +37
  25  Lindsay Jones         O. Roberts   87  79  88 254  +38
      Jodi Gleed            UTEP         84  81  89 254  +38
  27  Itziar Unanue         Tx-Pan Am    85  82  89 256  +40
  28  Ashley Wilkerson      O. Roberts   88  87  82 257  +41
      Jessica Kinsey        CorpusChrs   86  84  87 257  +41
  30  Cecilia Bergkvist     McLennan     87  87  84 258  +42
  31  Jeannie Lane          Tx-Pan Am    84  90  85 259  +43
      Melissa Head          Tx-Pan Am    85  96  78 259  +43
  33  Adriana Espinoza      Tx-Pan Am    89  87  84 260  +44
  34  Amelie Tremblay       UTEP         92  88  81 261  +45
      Liza Mucheru          CorpusChrs   84  87  90 261  +45
  36  Christina Pelchar     CorpusChrs   97  93  85 275  +59
                    Lady Bronc Classic            
                    The Club at Cimarron     Mission, TX    
                         FINAL RESULTS
                    Tournament Dates: 02/06 - 02/07
                              Par:        72                
                              Yardage:  6134                
 Fin Team/Players                    Scores  
   1  Southern Methodist             319 309 330   958
T  2   Danielle Netschi               77  73  83   233
   8   Missy Ryan                     83  77  80   240
T 12   Julie Crooks                   78  81  85   244
T 12   Kelle King                     84  78  82   244
T 16   Ashley Mitchell                81  83  85   249
   2  McLennan C.C.                  328 324 321   973
   7   Kelli McKandless               79  78  82   239
   9   Ashlie Simmons                 81  82  78   241
  11   Kandace Burnette               82  81  80   243
T 18   Kayla Duhr                     86  83  81   250
  30   Cecilia Bergkvist              87  87  84   258
   3  Lamar University               341 306 329   976
   4   O. Maria Jonsdottir            80  76  78   234
T 14   Catrin Joyce                   85  78  84   247
T 14   Jacque Bennight                87  76  84   247
T 20   Helen Sharp                    89  79  83   251
T 23   Tonia Niblette                 91  76  86   253
   4  Oral Roberts Univ.             337 316 324   977
   5   Brooke Fincher                 84  74  78   236
  10   Heidi Brown                    82  82  78   242
T 20   Paola Alverez                  84  81  86   251
T 25   Lindsay Jones                  87  79  88   254
T 28   Ashley Wilkerson               88  87  82   257
   5  Texas El Paso, U. of           335 325 321   981
T  2   Linda Chen                     81  76  76   233
T 18   Amy Wilmon                     83  82  85   250
  22   Krystal Mehaffey               87  86  79   252
T 25   Jodi Gleed                     84  81  89   254
T 34   Amelie Tremblay                92  88  81   261
   6  TX A&M CorpusChristi           326 327 329   982
   1   M. Newman-Gillespie            77  77  78   232
   6   Alessandra Perez               79  79  79   237
T 28   Jessica Kinsey                 86  84  87   257
T 34   Liza Mucheru                   84  87  90   261
  36   Christina Pelchar              97  93  85   275
   7  Texas-Pan American             336 343 330  1009
T 16   Tootie Lauzon                  82  84  83   249
  27   Itziar Unanue                  85  82  89   256
T 31   Jeannie Lane                   84  90  85   259
T 31   Melissa Head                   85  96  78   259
  33   Adriana Espinoza               89  87  84   260