UVa Captures First ACC Championship with Record Outing

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April 18, 2015

Greensboro, N.C. – The 11th-ranked Virginia women’s golf team turned in the greatest performance in the 27-year history of the ACC Championships to claim the first league title in the program’s history. The Cavaliers completed the two-day, 54-hole event at 27-under 837, the lowest score in ACC tourney history. It was also the best team score in UVa history, topping the 14-under 850 recorded earlier this year at the UCF Challenge.

The outcome was never in doubt entering the final round. Virginia finished 26 strokes better than fifth-ranked Duke and 29 shots ahead of third-place finishers North Carolina, Florida State and Wake Forest. The tournament was held at the Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C. The format was altered to a two-day schedule due to the threat of inclement weather forecast for Sunday.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Virginia head coach Kim Lewellen about the historic win. “We’ve been close so many times and to do it this year with a special group of young ladies and the way they did it by performing under the pressure it was unbelievable to watch.”

Virginia recorded second-place finishes at the tournament during the 2014, 2010, 2008 and 2006 seasons.

Leading the Cavaliers was senior Briana Mao (Folsom, Calif.), who finished regulation play tied for first place but lost a two-hole playoff to Duke’s Leona Maguire for medalist honors. Mao finished at 10-under 206, the best 54-hole total in UVa history. Her final 18-hole score of 5-under 67 was the lowest round of the tournament and included six birdies. It matched her best single-round total as a collegiate.

Maguire’s and Mao’s rounds of 206 tied for the second lowest 54-hole total in ACC history.

Mao was joined by two teammates near the top of the leaderboard. Tying for fourth place were Cavaliers Lauren Coughlin (Chesapeake, Va.) and Lauren Diaz-Yi (Thousand Oaks, Calif.). They both carded a 6-under 210 for the tournament. Coughlin’s score and finish were both career bests.

UVa freshman Lyberty Anderson (Chesterfield, Va.) posted the best tournament of her brief collegiate career, finishing seventh at 4-under 212. She opened play by firing 4-under 68 during the first 18 holes. Anderson’s previous best finish this season was 61st place. She bettered her best tournament score by 14 strokes.

Junior Elizabeth Szokol (Winnetka, Ill.) placed 17th overall at 2-over 218. She had rounds of 73, 73 and 72.

The ACC Championship was Virginia’s third victory this season. The Hoos captured the UCF Challenge and won its final regular-season tournament, the Bryan National Collegiate, also held in Greensboro.

By winning the ACC Championship, the Cavaliers receive the league’s automatic berth into the NCAA Championships. Regional sites will be contested started May 14-16. The NCAA Championships are slated for May 29-June 3 in Bradenton, Fla.

ACC Championships
Sedgefield Country Club
Greensboro, NC
Par-72, 6,089 yards
Final Results

Team Results  1. Virginia        280-279-278-837 2. Duke            286-288-289-863 3. North Carolina  289-290-287-866 3. Florida State   281-293-292-866 3. Wake Forest     288-281-297-866 6. Notre Dame      287-295-294-876 7. Louisville      291-297-296-884 8. NC State        296-295-296-887 8. Clemson         292-298-297-887 8. Miami           294-296-303-89311. Boston College  303-305-306-914
Individual Leaders1. Leona Maguire, Duke          68-68-70-2061. Briana Mao, Virginia         68-71-67-2063. Allison Emrey, Wake Forest   70-68-70-2084. Lauren Coughlin, Virginia    72-69-69-2104. Lauren Diaz-Yi, Virginia     72-68-70-210
Virginia Results 2. Briana Mao           68-71-67-206 4. Lauren Diaz-Yi       72-68-70-210 4. Lauren Coughlin      72-69-69-210 7. Lyberty Anderson     68-71-73-21217. Elizabeth Szokol     73-73-72-218="http:>="http:>="http:>="http:>="http:>="http:>="http:>="http:>