University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina's Meaghan Francella Captures ACC Championship
April 20, 2003 | Women's Golf
April 20, 2003
Clemmons, N.C. - North Carolina junior Meaghan Francella, from Port Chester, N.Y., captured the individual title at the ACC Championship by firing a pair of two-under-par 69s in the final two rounds to close with a two-over 215 three-day total. Carolina finished the in third place at the par 71, 6,348 yard Salem Glen Country Club layout. Duke University won its eight straight ACC title after shooting a round of seven-under par for a team total of 893 while Wake Forest finished second at 893.
Resting in fourth place after the second round, the Tar Heels trimmed thirteen strokes off their previous performance to finish at 903. That move pushed them past fourth-place finisher NC State which posted a 905 total.
Carolina head coach Sally Austin noted that Francella made shooting two 69s look easy as she gave herself a lot of opportunities for birdies and tap-ins for par.
"Her play was rock solid and rock steady," says Austin. "She was ready to play mentally, she hit the ball well and just went after it. She was ready to get out there and play and that was apparent."
Duke's Elizabeth Janangelo and Wake Forest's Nuria Clau were runners-up in the individual race, one shot back from Francella at 216. Kristin Tamulis of Florida State and Virada Nirapathpongporn of Duke tied for fourth place at 217.
Two more Tar Heels finished in the top 20. Junior Ashley Prange, from Noblesville, Ind., fired a final-round 73 to finish with a 226 total in a tie for 10th place. Beth Marushak, a freshman from Northampton, Pa., closed at even par 71 for a 228 total and is tied for 15th place. Senior Abby Spector, from Waterville, Maine, tied for 24th place with a 238 total while Meghan Adams, a senior from Dover, Del., tied for 28th at 241 after closing with a one-over 72.
TEAM STANDINGS (54 Holes) 1. Duke 310-290-277--877 2. Wake Forest 316-292-285--893 3. North Carolina 320-298-285--903 4. N.C. State 315-301-289--905 5. Florida State 325-298-286--909 6. Maryland 327-306-306--939TOP INDIVIDUALS (54 Holes) 1. Meaghan Francella(UNC) 77-69-69-215 2. Elizabeth Janangelo(Duke) 77-71-70-216 Nuria Clau(Wake Forest) 77-69-68-216 4. Kristin Tamulis(Florida State) 78-74-65-217 V. Nirapathpongporn(Duke) 75-71-71-217 6. Leigh Ann Hardin(Duke) 79-75-67-221
Carolina's Individuals 1. Meaghan Francella 77-69-69-215 T10 Ashley Prange 78-75-73-226 T15 Beth Marushak 79-78-71-228 T24 Abby Spector 86-76-76-238 T28 Meghan Adams 90-79-72-241
![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
