Whitney Simons 2006 SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2005-06 Review South Carolina NCAA Trip, Academic Honors Highlight 05-06 Season Battle wins Dinah Shore Trophy, Simons is SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Gamecocks make eighth consecutive trip to the postseason. Gamecocks Make Eighth Straight Postseason Trip The South Carolina women s golf team competed in the 2006 NCAA East Regional Championship, marking the eighth consecutive season in which the Gamecocks competed in the postseason and the 11th time in 12 years under coach Kristi Coggins that Carolina advanced to the postseason. The Gamecocks finished 13th at the Regional with a 296-297-304=897. Sophomore Blythe Worley was Carolina s top player at Regionals, carding a 75-74-73=222 to set a new 54-hole career best. Her three-round score of 222 tied her for sixth on South Carolina s all-time list in NCAA Regional play. Fellow sophomore Laura Raffo also a posted a new personal best 54-hole score by firing a 73-75-78=226 at NCAA Regionals to finish second among Carolina players at the event. Carolina Wins Chrysler Challenge The South Carolina women s golf team won its first team championship since claiming the 2002 Southeastern Conference Championship when it won the Chrysler Challenge in Destin, Fla., during the fall portion of the schedule with a three-day score of 297-290-316=903. Carolina won the tournament by the narrowest of margins, as Florida made a final-round surge but fell one stroke short with a three-day score of 305-302- 297=904. The field consisted exclusively of teams from the Southeastern Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference. Carolina s three-day total of 903 ranks in a tie for 15th on the all-time school list for lowest tournament scores and was the lowest total since the team fired a 903 at the 2005 NCAA East Regional last spring. The championship marked the fourth tournament win under head coach Kristi Coggins, who led the Gamecocks to the aforementioned 2002 SEC Championship as well as titles at the 1999 Casa De Campo Collegiate and the 1997 FAU/Miami Preview Classic. Junior Jenna Pearson tied with sophomore Whitney Simons for sixth place on the individual leader board, as Pearson carded a 70-72-83=225 and Simons finished with a 75-71-79=225 to lead the way for the Gamecocks. Pearson entered the final round of play as the tournament leader, but a final-round 69 helped Alabama s Jenny Suh emerge with medalist honors. Carolina Wins Top National Academic Award For the second consecutive year, the University of South Carolina women s golf program has been recognized as the National Golf Coaches Association s All-Scholar Team GPA Award winner. The award recognizes the women s collegiate golf program with the highest combined team grade point average among all of the team s student-athletes for the 2005-06 season. The Gamecocks posted a 3.677 team GPA to claim the award. I am very proud of what this group of young ladies has accomplished, Head Coach Kristi Coggins said. To win an award as prestigious as this one in back-to-back years really says something about the quality and the consistency of their work in the classroom. With all of the success that these young ladies have enjoyed in the class in addition to making it to the postseason every year they have been here, this is a group that the University of South Carolina can be proud of. In addition, South Carolina once again led the nation with six different individuals named to the NGCA All-America Scholar team, as Erica Battle, Laura McCaslin, Jenna Pearson, Laura Raffo, Whitney Simons and Blythe Worley all secured the recognition. This marks the third consecutive year that South Carolina has led the nation in All-America Scholars. This is another example of the academic excellence our student athletes and teams have achieved at USC, Athletics Director Eric Hyman said. We are successfully competing on the highest level in the classroom and on the field of competition. The Gamecocks celebrate their win at the 2005 Chrysler Challenge. The tournament field consisted exclusively of teams from the SEC and ACC. Awards came in bunches for the South Carolina women s golf program in 2005-06, as Battle was honored with the prestigious Dinah Shore Trophy, which is presented to the top women s golfer in the nation who combines success on the golf course with success in the classroom and extraordinary leadership in the community. Battle was the second Gamecock in the last three years to earn the award, as Adrienne Gautreaux was the 2004 recipient. Battle was also named to the 2006 CoSIDA Academic All-District Team and was a member of the 2006 SEC Women s Golf Good Works Team. In addition to Battle s honors, Simons was recognized as the 2006 SEC Women s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year. South Carolina was also well-represented on the SEC Spring Sports Academic Honor Roll, as Battle, Simons, Mc- Caslin, Pearson, Meredith Taylor, Raffo and Worley all posted grade point averages above 3.0. Battle, Simons and Raffo all earned spots on the University of South Carolina President s List during the fall, 2005 semester. The list recognizes students who post perfect 4.0 GPAs during a semester. McCaslin, Pearson and Worley were all Dean s List honorees in the fall, with Battle, Pearson, Raffo, Simons and Worley each securing a spot on the Dean s List in the spring, 2006 semester. Battle Wins Dinah Shore Trophy South Carolina s Erica Battle was the recipient of the 2006 Dinah Shore Trophy, presented by the LPGA Foundation. Battle was presented with the award at the National Golf Coaches Association Awards Banquet in Columbus, Ohio. The Dinah Shore Trophy ranks among the most prestigious awards that a women s collegiate golfer can receive and the nomination criteria dictates that to be considered, a studentathlete must combine success on the golf course with success in the classroom and leadership in the community. More specifically, to be nominated for the award a candidate must maintain a grade point average of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, play in at least 50 percent of her team s scheduled events and maintain a scoring average of 78 or less. In addition, candidates must demonstrate leadership skills and/or extraordinary community affairs work. I am very excited to win this award, Battle said. It s nice that all the work I have done in college with community service, academics, leadership and on the golf course has paid off and other people have noticed. I m thrilled and honored to be chosen because I know there were a lot of other very good candidates for this award, so it means a lot to me. Battle is the second Gamecock to win the award in the last three years, as Adrienne Gautreaux was the 2004 recipient and as part of Battle s recognition, the LPGA Foundation will present the South Carolina women s golf program with a $10,000 gift. Erica is the definition of a student-athlete, Head Coach Kristi Coggins said. This award is the perfect finish to an outstanding collegiate career for her and we are very proud of what she has accomplished. Erica is the type of young lady that we look for to compete in our program and she has contributed to our program in so many ways. Battle was one of Carolina s top players in 2006, compiling a career-best 76.17 stroke average and posting three top-20 finishes her senior year. She earned a spot on the Southeastern Conference Good Works team for her work in the community and was the recipient of the USC President s Award, which is the highest award presented to a South Carolina student-athlete and recognizes an individual who displays extraordinary talents in the areas of athletics, scholarship, leadership and service. On the course, she was a key factor in Carolina s win at the Chrysler Challenge during the fall portion of the schedule, finishing the event tied for eighth on the individual leader board with a 74-73-79=226. Battle tied for 13th at The Derby Invitational during the fall, carding a 74-75-74=223. Her 54-hole score at The Derby was her lowest of the 2005-06 season and the third-lowest mark of her career. She matched her season-low round when she carded an even-par 72 in the 32
Gamecocks 2005-06 Review first round of the NCAA Regional Championship. Off the course, Battle earned a spot on USC s President s List (perfect 4.0 GPA) in the fall 2005 semester and was on the Dean s List in the spring of 2006. Though the SEC has not yet announced its 2006 Spring Sports Academic Honor Roll, Battle will likely appear on the list when it is revealed for the third time in her career and she is a strong candidate to earn Academic All-America honors when that list comes out as well. Battle s community service resumé is equally impressive, as she volunteers for the Teddy Bear Drive, Children s Hospital, Harvest Hope Food Bank, Toys for Tots, Sandy Run Elementary School Family Literacy Night, Meals on Wheels, and the homeless shelter. She is also a Ronald McDonald House volunteer for Columbia s annual Charlie Glasgow Memorial Golf Tournament. Battle is a volunteer reader at George I. Pair Elementary School, she is a homework volunteer, and she is involved in rebuilding/repairing homes of the elderly. She also volunteers at World Children s Day, and at the Children s Ministry at Watermark Community Church. Battle is the founder and organizer of the Golfing for God Ministry to youth of the Columbia area. The perpetual Dinah Shore Trophy is a crystal trophy, created by Tiffany & Co. with an engraving of Dinah Shore. The trophy is housed at Mission Hills Country Club, site of the annual Nabisco Dinah Shore. Simons Recognized As SEC s Best South Carolina women s golf standout Whitney Simons was recognized as the 2006 Southeastern Conference Women s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year. A sophomore from Aiken, S.C. (Aiken HS), Simons has appeared on South Carolina s President s List (perfect 4.0 grade-point average) every semester she has been enrolled in school. Simons triple majors in international business, marketing and finance and is a Spanish minor. Making her GPA more impressive is the fact that the international business school at South Carolina is the top-ranked school in the nation. Simons is the first Gamecock ever to earn SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors. On the course, Simons is ranked as a top-100 player nationally. She is currently ranked 92nd in the nation in the latest Golfweek rankings and her 75.74 stroke average heading into the NCAA Regionals gives her the lowest stroke average of any player on the South Carolina roster. Simons tied for 16th at the 2006 SEC Championship and has posted two top- 10 finishes and five top-20 finishes in 2005-06, highlighted by a team-best sixth-place finish at the Chrysler Challenge, where her 75-71-79=225 led the Gamecocks to the tournament championship. Battle Earns Highest USC Honor Senior Erica Battle earned the highest honor a South Carolina student-athlete can achieve from the athletic department when she was presented with the President s Award at USC s All-Sports Banquet on April 24. The President s Award is awarded to an individual who displays extraordinary talents in the areas of athletics, scholarship, leadership and service. Battle has exemplified all areas very strongly throughout her career. She sports a careerbest 76.22 stroke average heading into the NCAA Regional Championship and has posted three top-20 finishes this year. The Irmo, S.C. native will graduate Magna Cum Laude with a double major in marketing and management in the Moore School of Business, with a minor in Hotel, Restaurant, Tourism Management. Battle was also named to the Dean s List or President s List every semester of her college career. Her community service efforts include a long list of activities. Named to the SEC Good Works Team, she volunteers for the Children s Hospital, Harvest Hope Food Bank and the Ronald McDonald House, among others. Her most notable community service effort is probably the Golfing for God Ministry, a youth organization she founded in the Columbia area while in college. A weekly volunteer to a local youth mentoring program, Battle is a member of CHOICES TEAM (Student- Athletes for Healthy Choices Concerning Alcohol) and of Fellowship Christian Athletes. Pearson Wins Illinois Open Gamecock golfer Jenna Pearson won the Illinois Women s Open Championship with a score of 72-68-68=208 during the offseason. Pearson birdied four of the first five holes in the final round of the tournament to claim the lead and kept a two-shot lead for good after a birdie on the par-5, 512-yard eighth placed her at 7-under. Her 50-foot putt for birdie from the front of the 18th green sealed the win as second round leader Sara Brown watched from the fairway. A rising senior at USC, Pearson slowly climbed her way to the top of the leader board after tying for 14th at the end of the first round. Pearson was only one of three players to record a sub-par round two and was only one of two players to shoot in the 60 s in the final round. Pearson birdied at the par-4 fifth to grab the lead outright at 8-under, but successive bogeys at Nos. 6 and 7 dropped her back into a tie with Brown at minus-6 after Brown bogeyed the 160-yard, par-3 No. 7. The par-5, 512-yard eighth saw crucial a two-shot swing, with Pearson making birdie to get back to 7-under. Moments later on the same green, Brown made bogey and handed Pearson a two-shot lead she never surrendered. Playing in 98-degree heat and high humidity, Pearson next ran off nine straight pars while Brown added bogeys at 11 and 14 to fall back to 2-under, five shots back. But refusing to fold, Brown eagled the 434-yard, par-5 15th and followed with a birdie on the 302-yard, par-4 16th and suddenly, she was only two shots behind. Pearson leaked her tee shot on the par-5, 409-yard 18th and had to lay up with her third to the front of the green, 50 feet away from the hole. Brown ripped a tee shot deep into the fairway and was waiting for Pearson to finish so she could go for the putting surface in two. But instead of making a par or worse with her putter, which would have given Brown a chance for a tie with a birdie or eagle, Pearson knocked in her fourth shot from 50 feet to dash Brown s hopes. I m really proud to win an Illinois tournament, especially one this close to my home, said Pearson, who plans to test the touring professional ranks after she graduates. It s been a while since I won anything, so this feels especially good. I didn t see the leader board until I got on the 14th hole, so I wasn t aware of what the girls behind me were doing, she continued. I was just trying to pace myself in the heat and worry only about what I was doing. There are some good birdie or eagle opportunities at both 15 and 18, so at that point anything could have happened. I have got to say I was pretty shocked to see Sara [Brown] s lead had shrunk, though. I didn t really expect it because she s such a solid player. Pearson finished at 8-under 208, with Marisa Milligan, an Auburn player and the 2005 State Amateur champion two shots back at 210 after a final 71. Brown (75) finished third at 211. The Illinois Women s Open, the 54-hole state championship of golf, is open to women professionals and amateurs age 17 and over who reside in or are enrolled in a college or university in Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. 33
2005-06 Stats South Carolina 2005-06 Fall Team Results Date Tournament Location Score Finish Sept. 26-28 Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Intercoll. Albuquerque, N.M./University of New Mexico Champions Course 300-312-294=906 9th/18 teams Oct. 7-9 Lady Tar Heel Invitational Chapel Hill, N.C./Finley Golf Course 325-303-293=921 9th/18 teams Oct. 28-30 Chrysler Invitational Destin, Fla./The Raven Course at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort 297-290-316=903 1st/7 teams Nov. 4-6 The Derby Invitational Auburn, Ala./Auburn University Club at Yarbrough Farms 301-310-298=909 7th/17 teams 2005-06 Spring Team Results Date Tournament Location Score Finish Feb. 24-26 Lady Puerto Rico Classic Rio Grande, Puerto Rico/Coco Beach Golf and Country Club 306-312-304=922 11th/16 teams Mar. 10-12 Lady Gamecock Classic Blythewood, S.C/University Club 314-297-303=914 8th/11 teams Mar. 24-26 Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic Athens, Ga./University of Georgia Golf Course 317-309-301=927 6th/18 teams Mar.31-April 2 Bryan National Collegiate Greensboro, N.C./Champions Course at Bryan Park 309-295-301=905 7th/17 teams April 14-16 SEC Championship Nashville, Tenn./Vanderbilt Legends Club (Ironhorse Course) 310-293-300=903 8th/12 teams May 11-13 NCAA Regional Championship Browns Summit, N.C./Champions Course at Bryan Park 296-297-304=897 13th/21 teams 2005-06 Individual Statistics Year Tournaments Rounds Strokes Avg. Low Round (Tournament) Top 5-10-20 Erica Battle 10 30 2285 76.17 72 (2x, last at NCAA East Regional) 0-1-3 Laura McCaslin 7 21 1638 78.00 71 (Dick McGuire Intercollegiate) 0-1-2 Camila Mori 6 18 1399 77.72 71 (Dick McGuire Intercollegiate) 0-0-0 Jenna Pearson 10 30 2285 76.17 70 (Chrysler Challenge) 0-2-2 Laura Raffo 8 24 1873 78.04 73 (2x, last at NCAA East Regional) 0-0-0 Whitney Simons 10 30 2277 75.90 71 (2x, last at Chrysler Challenge) 0-2-5 Blythe Worley 6 18 1382 76.78 73 (2x, last at NCAA East Regional) 0-0-0 Erica Battle Jenna Pearson Whitney Simons 34
Gamecocks 05-06 Tournament Results Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Intercollegiate (Sept. 26-28, 2005) University of New Mexico Champions Course (Albuquerque, N.M.) 300-312-294=906 (9th/18 teams) T12 Laura McCaslin E 72-76-71=219 *T12 Whitney Simons E 75-73-71=219 T38 Camila Mori +8 77-79-71=227 T53 Jenna Pearson +11 74-79-77=230 T59 Erica Battle +12 77-78-76=231 T74 Blythe Worley +16 80-79-76=235 Lady Tar Heel Invitational (Oct. 7-9, 2005) Finley Golf Course (Chapel Hill, N.C.) 325-303-293=921 (9th/18 teams) T 25 Jenna Pearson +10 79-75-72=226 40 Erica Battle +15 81-74-76=231 *T 41 Blythe Worley +16 81-75-76=232 T 49 Laura McCaslin +17 80-76-77=233 T 59 Camila Mori +20 86-78-72=236 T 68 Whitney Simons +22 85-80-73=238 Chrysler Challenge (Oct. 28-30, 2005) Raven Course (Destin, Fla.) 305-302-297=904 (1st/7 teams) T6 Jenna Pearson +9 70-72-83=225 T6 Whitney Simons +9 75-71-79=225 T8 Erica Battle +10 74-73-79=226 T10 Laura McCaslin +11 78-74-75=227 *T28 Laura Raffo +20 73-76-87=236 T31 Camila Mori +24 81-76-83=240 The Derby Invitational (Nov. 4-6, 2005) Auburn University Club (Auburn, Ala.) 301-310-298=909 (T7th/17 teams) T13 Erica Battle +7 74-75-74=223 T28 Whitney Simons +12 76-78-74=228 T28 Camila Mori +12 75-77-76=228 T44 Jenna Pearson +15 77-80-74=231 *T58 Laura Raffo +20 81-77-78=236 T69 Laura McCaslin +25 76-85-80=241 Lady Puerto Rico Classic (Feb. 24-26, 2006) Coco Beach Golf and Country Club (Rio Grande, Puerto Rico) 306-312-304=922 (T11th/16 teams) T28 Erica Battle +11 77-75-75=227 *T38 Laura Raffo +15 81-75-75=231 T40 Camila Mori +16 77-77-78=232 T45 Whitney Simons +17 74-80-79=233 T47 Laura McCaslin +18 78-81-75=234 T47 Jenna Pearson +18 78-80-76=234 Lady Gamecock Classic (March 10-12, 2006) University Club (Blythewood, S.C.) 314-297-303=914 (8th/11 teams) T13 Erica Battle +9 79-72-74=225 T20 Whitney Simons +11 77-72-78=227 T36 Laura McCaslin +16 81-78-73=232 *T36 Blythe Worley +16 79-76-77=232 T41 Jenna Pearson +18 78-75-81=234 44 Camila Mori +20 80-78-78=236 *T47 Laura Raffo +22 80-77-81=238 Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic (March 24-26, 2006) University of Georgia Golf Course (Athens, Ga.) 317-309-301=927 (6th/18 teams) T10 Whitney Simons +9 76-75-74=225 T30 Jenna Pearson +17 77-79-77=233 T35 Erica Battle +18 84-77-73=234 T37 Laura Raffo +19 80-78-77=235 88 Laura McCaslin +36 85-83-84=252 Bryan National Collegiate (March 31-April 2, 2006) Bryan Park Champions Course (Browns Summit, N.C.) 309-295-301=905 (7th/17 teams) T21 Jenna Pearson +8 79-71-74=224 T30 Whitney Simons +11 75-76-76=227 T38 Blythe Worley +13 78-75-76=229 T44 Erica Battle +15 81-75-75=231 T44 Laura Raffo +15 77-74-80=231 Southeastern Conference Championship (April 14-16, 2006) Ironhorse Course At Vanderbilt Legends Club (Nashville, Tenn.) 310-293-300=903 (8th/12 teams) T7 Jenna Pearson +5 75-74-72=221 T16 Whitney Simons +7 75-73-75=223 T35 Erica Battle +14 79-73-78=230 T41 Blythe Worley +16 84-73-75=232 T53 Laura Raffo +24 81-81-78=240 2006 NCAA East Regional Championship (May 11-13, 2006) Bryan Park Champions Course (Browns Summit, N.C.) 296-297-304=897 (13th out of 21 teams) 34 Blythe Worley +6 75-74-73=222 T54 Laura Raffo +10 73-75-78=226 T61 Erica Battle +11 72-74-81=227 T61 Jenna Pearson +11 76-74-77=227 T86 Whitney Simons +16 76-80-76=232 35
05-06 Individual Results Erica Battle Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Intercoll. 77-78-76=231 T59 Lady Tar Heel Invitational 81-74-76=231 40 Chrysler Challenge 74-73-79=226 T8 The Derby Invitational 74-75-74=223 T13 Lady Puerto Rico Classic 77-75-75=227 T28 Lady Gamecock Classic 79-72-74=225 T13 Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic 84-77-73=234 T35 Bryan National Collegiate 81-75-75=231 T44 SEC Championships 79-73-78=230 T35 NCAA East Regional Championship 72-74-81=227 T61 South Carolina Laura Raffo Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Intercoll. DNP DNP Lady Tar Heel Invitational DNP DNP Chrysler Challenge 73-76-87=236 T28 The Derby Invitational 81-77-78=236 T58 Lady Puerto Rico Classic 81-75-75=231 T38 Lady Gamecock Classic 80-77-81=238 T47 Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic 80-78-77=235 T37 Bryan National Collegiate 77-74-80=231 T44 SEC Championships 81-81-78=240 T53 NCAA East Regional Championship 73-75-78=226 T54 Laura McCaslin Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Intercoll. 72-76-71=219 T12 Lady Tar Heel Invitational 80-76-77=233 T49 Chrysler Challenge 78-74-75=227 T10 The Derby Invitational 76-85-80=241 T69 Lady Puerto Rico Classic 78-81-75=234 T47 Lady Gamecock Classic 81-78-73=232 T36 Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic 85-83-84=252 88 Bryan National Collegiate DNP DNP SEC Championships DNP DNP NCAA East Regional Championship DNP DNP Whitney Simons Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Intercoll. 75-73-71=219 T12 Lady Tar Heel Invitational 85-80-73=238 T68 Chrysler Challenge 75-71-79=225 T6 The Derby Invitational 76-78-74=228 T28 Lady Puerto Rico Classic 74-80-79=233 T45 Lady Gamecock Classic 77-72-78=227 T20 Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic 76-75-74=225 T10 Bryan National Collegiate 75-76-76=227 T30 SEC Championships 75-73-75=223 T16 NCAA East Regional Championship 76-80-76=232 T86 Camila Mori Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Intercoll. 77-79-71=227 T38 Lady Tar Heel Invitational 86-78-72=236 T59 Chrysler Challenge 81-76-83=240 T31 The Derby Invitational 75-77-76=228 T28 Lady Puerto Rico Classic 77-77-78=232 T40 Lady Gamecock Classic 80-78-78=236 44 Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic DNP DNP Bryan National Collegiate DNP DNP SEC Championships DNP DNP NCAA East Regional Championship DNP DNP Meredith Taylor Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Intercoll. DNP DNP Lady Tar Heel Invitational DNP DNP Chrysler Challenge DNP DNP The Derby Invitational DNP DNP Lady Puerto Rico Classic DNP DNP Lady Gamecock Classic DNP DNP Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic DNP DNP Bryan National Collegiate DNP DNP SEC Championships DNP DNP NCAA East Regional Championship DNP DNP Jenna Pearson Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Intercoll. 74-79-77=230 T53 Lady Tar Heel Invitational 79-75-72=226 T25 Chrysler Challenge 70-72-83=225 T6 The Derby Invitational 77-80-74=231 T44 Lady Puerto Rico Classic 78-80-76=234 T47 Lady Gamecock Classic 78-75-81=234 T41 Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic 77-79-77=233 T30 Bryan National Collegiate 79-71-74=224 T21 SEC Championships 75-74-72=221 T7 NCAA East Regional Championship 76-74-77=227 T61 Blythe Worley Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Intercoll. 80-79-76=235 T74 Lady Tar Heel Invitational 81-75-76=232 T41 Chrysler Challenge DNP DNP The Derby Invitational DNP DNP Lady Puerto Rico Classic DNP DNP Lady Gamecock Classic 79-76-77=232 T36 Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic DNP DNP Bryan National Collegiate 78-75-76=229 T38 SEC Championships 84-73-75=232 T41 NCAA East Regional Championship 75-74-73=222 34 36