Trojans sit in 11th heading into final day at nationals
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The NIACC women's golf team is in 11th place Thursday after three rounds at the NJCAA Division II national championships at the Ol' Colony Golf Course.
NIACC enters the final 18 holes of the four-day national tournament with rounds of 367-358-353 - 1,078. Defending national champion and host Shelton State CC is the three day leader with rounds of 320-317-321 - 958.
DMACC is in ninth place with rounds of 350-353-357 - 1,060 and Iowa Central is in 12th place with rounds of 376-352-352 - 1,080.
"Each day the team score has gotten better," NIACC coach Chris Frenz said, "and they all have seemed to have played better each day.
"You simply can't make mistakes on this course because it will make you pay. We still have a chance to finish in the top 10 as a team and Meghan (DeLong) has a great chance to climb into the top 10 individually."
DeLong, who was a third-team all-American as a freshman, is in a tie for 12th place with rounds of 83-82-82 - 247. DeLong's round of 82 on Thursday is tied for the fourth best round at the national tournament in the Frenz era, which began in 2007.
Jacksonville's Paige Hill and Mesa CC's Abree Germaine are in a tie for ninth place with three-round totals of 242.
Also for the Trojans heading into the final day on Friday, freshman Avery Knutsen has recorded rounds of 94-90-88 - 272, freshman Audrey Overgaard has shot rounds of 94-90-92 - 276, sophomore Kenedee Frayne has shot rounds of 98-99-91 - 288 and sophomore Addy Boell has recorded rounds of 112-94-102 - 308.
Knutsen's round of 88 on Thursday is tied for the 20th best round at nationals under Frenz.
"We've got work to do," Frenz said, "but these girls have had a great time and they're determined to put their best team score together on the final day and get a top 10 finish."
The final round at the national tournament is set for Friday.
NIACC WOMEN'S NATIONAL TOURNAMENT ROUNDS UNDER FRENZ (2007-)
Paige Danger (Day 3, 2025) 76
Meghan DeLong (Day 1, 2025) 79
Meghan DeLong (Day 3, 2025) 79
Meghan DeLong (Day 2, 2025) 82
Meghan DeLong (Day 2, 2026) 82
Meghan DeLong (Day 3, 2026) 82
Mikayla Smith (Day 3, 2012) 83
Meghan DeLong (Day 1, 2026) 83
Sarah Steinauer (Day 3, 2013) 84
Ashlyn Berven (Day 1, 2025) 84
Paige Danger (Day 1, 2025) 84
Sarah Steinauer (Day 1, 2013) 85
Mikayla Smith (Day 2, 2012) 85
Savannah Lentz (Day 4, 2015) 85
Paige Danger (Day 2, 2025) 86
Kenedee Frayne (Day 4, 2025) 86
Alexandria Eckenrod (Day 1, 2013) 87
Mikayla Smith (Day 2, 2013) 87
Mikayla Smith (Day 4, 2012) 87
Alexandria Eckenrod (Day 2, 2012) 88
Avery Knutsen (Day 3, 2026) 88
Brittany O'Brien (2009) 89
Thea Lunning (Day 3, 2021) 89
Kenedee Frayne (Day 1, 2025) 89
Addy Boell (Day 3, 2025) 89
Kenedee Frayne (Day 3, 2025) 89
