University of North Carolina Athletics
UNC Women Golfers Advance To The NCAA Championships
May 10, 2003 | Women's Golf
May 10, 2003
CLEMMONS, N.C. ? The University of North Carolina Women's golf team has advanced to the NCAA championships. Even though the Tar Heels carded a ten-over-par 294 in the final round, their three round team total of 882 gives them a sixth place finish in the Regional and a shot at the Championship. The top eight teams have advanced, along with the top two individual scorers who are not members of the top eight teams. The top two individuals advancing include Furman University's Brandi Jackson who also won individual medalist honors with a 205 total and Penn State's Katie Futcher who finished tied for third with UNC's Meaghan Francella. Francella began the final round in sole possession of first but dropped to third after a round of two-over-par 73.
Kristy McPherson of South Carolina took second place honors while Virada Nirapathpongporn of Duke and Courtney Wood of Vanderbilt University round out the top five with a 212 total.
Duke University won the Regional by eight strokes over second place finisher Georgia and Vanderbilt, while Auburn, Arizona, South Carolina and Florida State round out the top eight who will advance. The NCAA Women's golf championship will be contested in West Lafayette, Indiana, May 21-24.
After UNC Junior Ashley Prange shot the lowest round in the Regional on Friday, she could only manage a four-over-par 75 on Saturday leaving her tied for 11th. Meghan Adams improved by one stroke in her final round with a two-over-par 73 for a 44th place finish, while Abby Spector and Beth Marushak completed the Regional with total scores of 233 and 235, respectively.
The 54 hole event was contested at the Par 71, 6,116-yard, Salem Glen Country Club.
TEAM STANDINGS (#54Holes)
1. Duke University 288-286-283-857
2. Georgia 294-290-281-865
Vanderbilt 295-288-282-865
4. Auburn 298-291-278-867
5. Arizona 303-288-283-874
6. North Carolina 301-287-294-882
7. South Carolina 303-287-294-884
8. Florida State 290-302-297-889
9. Furman 307-293-293-893
10. Wake Forest 307-293-294-894
11. Tulane 309-293-293-895
12. Mississippi State 306-302-297-905
13. Penn State 305-306--296-907
14. East Carolina 300-310-298-908
N.C. State 303-306-299-908
16. Western Carolina 306-307-300-913
17. UNC-Wilmington 307-306-305-918
18. Georgia State 306-307-306-919
19. Mississippi 322-302-296-920
20. South Florida 312-304-306-922
21. St. Francis College 335-320-326-981
TOP INDIVIDUALS (#54 Holes)
1. Brandy Jackson(Furman) 68-71-66-205
2. Kristy McPherson(South Carolina) 68-71-70-209
3. Meaghan Francella(UNC) 69-69-73-211
Katie Futcher(Penn State) 75-68-68-211
5. V. Nirapathpngporn(Duke) 73-68-71-212
Courtney Wood(Vanderbilt) 73-70-69-212
7. Kelly Froelich (Georgia) 76-70-67-213
Carolina's Individuals
T3. Meaghan Francella 69-69-73-211
T11. Ashley Prange 75-66-75-216
T44. Meghan Adams 79-74-73-226
T79. Abby Spector 82-78-73-233
T85. Beth Marushak 78-78-79-235
![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
