University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Golfers In Fourth Place At ACC/SEC Challenge
October 24, 2003 | Women's Golf
Oct. 24, 2003
DESTIN, Fla. - North Carolina's women's golf team fired a 298 and is in fourth place after the first round of the ACC/SEC Women's Golf Challenge. Tar Heel senior Meaghan Francella fired an even par 71 and is tied for seventh place in the individual race.
Duke leads the field of 11 teams at eight-under-par 276, 13 strokes ahead of second-place Auburn which posted a 289. Florida is in third place with a 295 total. Wake Forest is in fifth place at 301, three shots behind the Tar Heels, while Alabama is sixth at 305 and Florida State is sixth at 306.
Virada Nirapathpongporn of Duke leads all individuals after firing a four-under 67. Maria Martinez of Auburn is one stroke back with a 68 while a pair of Duke players, Elizabeth Janangelo and Anna Grzebien, are tied for third place at 69. Darby Sligh of Alabama and Jennifer Head of Auburn are tied for fifth place at one-under 70 while Duke's Leigh Anne Hardin and Brittany Lang are tied with Carolina's Francella for seventh place at 71.
Tar Heel freshman Katie Miller, from Jeannette, Pa., joined Francella, from Port Chester, N.Y., in the top 20 individually. Miller fired a three-over 74 and is tied for 16th place. Romi Irons, a sophomore from Austin, Texas, carded a 76 and is tied for 26th place while Ashley Prange, a senior from Noblesville, Ind., shot 77 and is tied for 31st and freshman Shannon Boyle, from Cary, N.C., posted a 79 and is tied for 40th.
The 54-hole event which continues through Sunday is being played at the Raven Course, a par 71, 5,937-yard layout, at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.
TEAM STANDINGS (18 Holes)
1. Duke 276
2. Auburn 289
3. Florida 295
4. North Carolina 298
5. Wake Forest 301
6. Alabama 305
7. Florida State 306
8. Maryland 311
NC State 311
Kentucky 311
11. Mississippi State 318
TOP INDIVIDUALS (18 Holes)
1. Virada Nirapathpongporn (Duke) 67
2. Maria Martinez (Auburn) 68
3. Elizabeth Janangelo (Duke) 69
Anna Grzebien (Duke) 69
5. Darby Sligh (Alabama) 70
Jennifer Head (Auburn) 70
7. Meaghan Francella (UNC) 71
Leigh Anne Hardin (Duke) 71
Brittany Lang (Duke) 71
CAROLINA'S INDIVIDUALS
T7 Meaghan Francella 71
T16 Katie Miller 74
T26 Romi Irons 76
T31 Ashley Prange 77
T40 Shannon Boyle 79
![Images from the first round of the 2026 Gators Invitational on Friday, March 6, 2026 at Mark Bostick Golf Course at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL. [Photo by Matt Pendleton Photography for North Carolina Tar Heels Athletics]](https://images.sidearmdev.com/resize?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Func.sidearmsports.com%2Fimages%2F2026%2F3%2F7%2F260306-NCAAWGOLF-UNC-GatorsInvitational-0828-MattPendleton_copy.jpg&height=340&type=webp)
Players Mentioned
