Lillie Advances to NCAA Championships with Fifth Place Finish at NCAA Regional

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 11 Virginia women’s golf team finished ninth at the NCAA Columbus Regional and failed to earn one of the six berths to the national championships, but the Cavaliers will be represented at the event. UVA senior Beth Lillie (Fullerton, Calif.) earned as spot in the field as an individual competitor thanks to her finish at the regional site.

Lillie shot 1-over 73 on Ohio State’s Scarlet Course during Wednesday’s final round of play to tie for fifth place in the field. Her three-round total was 1-over 217. She became one of the three golfers not associated with a team advancing to the NCAA Championships to secure a position in the stroke play portion of the event. This year’s NCAA Championships are slated for Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., from May 21-26.

Lillie played in the NCAA Championships in both 2018 and 2019 when the Cavaliers qualified as a team. She placed 43rd during her sophomore campaign.

Entering the final round of play in seventh place, UVA shot 11-over 299 during on Tuesday to drop back to ninth in the 18-team field. The Cavaliers’ 54-hole total was 30-over 894. No. 18 Georgia won the regional at 1-over 865. Also advancing from the site was Duke (880), Arizona State (880), Kentucky (883), Michigan (885) and Kent State (885).

Lillie’s 73 was the Cavaliers’ best closing round score. Junior Riley Smyth (Cary, N.C.) shot 74 and placed 33rd at 9-over 225. Junior Virginia Bossi (Como, Italy) and freshman Jennifer Cleary (Wilmington, Del.) both shot 77 during the final round. Bossi was 36th at 226 and Cleary finished 55th at 230. Sophomore Celeste Valinho (Jacksonville, Fla.) rounded out UVA’s scoring in 77th place at 235. She posted a final-round score of 75.

Georgia’s Jenny Bae took medalist honors at 4-under 212. She was one of just four players in the 96-competitor field to break par.

NCAA Columbus Regional
Ohio State Scarlet Course
Columbus, Ohio
Par 72, 6,358 yards
Final Results

Team Results
 1. Georgia          289-288-288-865
 2. Duke             287-298-295-880
 2. Arizona State    291-301-288-880
 4. Kentucky         298-295-290-883
 5. Michigan         288-296-301-885
 5. Kent State       291-298-296-885
 7. Oklahoma         286-312-290-888
 8. Vanderbilt       297-300-292-889
 9. Virginia         296-299-299-894
10. Clemson          299-303-297-899
11. Campbell         298-306-298-902
12. Washington       296-316-293-905
13. Illinois         297-310-299-906
14. Coastal Carolina 298-313-302-913
15. New Mexico       310-310-296-916
15. Nebraska         307-313-296-916
17. Youngstown State 322-318-319-959
18. Evansville       322-335-317-975

Individual Leaders
1. Jenny Bae, Georgia         71-68-73-212
2. Linn Grant, Arizona State  71-74-70-215
2. Caley McGinty, Kent State  70-73-72-215
2. Monet Chun, Michigan       70-70-75-215

Virginia Result
 5. Beth Lillie     72-72-73-217
33. Riley Smyth     74-77-74-225
36. Virginia Bossi  71-78-77-226
55. Jennifer Cleary 81-72-77-230
77. Celeste Valinho 79-81-75-235