University of North Carolina Athletics
Meaghan Francella Named Carolina Waterscapes Student-Athlete of the Week
May 10, 2004 | Women's Golf
May 10, 2004
Carolina's Meaghan Francella captured the individual championship of the NCAA East Regional this past weekend and is the Carolina Waterscapes Student-Athlete of the Week for May 3-9. Francella, a senior from Port Chester, N.Y., fired a 3-under-par 69 in the opening round to grab the lead which she held throughout the tournament.
She followed that with rounds of 1-under 71 and another 3-under 69 on the final day to finish with a 7-under 209 total. The 54-hole event was played at the Mission Inn Golf and Tennis Resort's Champion Course in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla.
Francella and teammate Ashley Prange, who was the runner-up with a 2-under 214 total, led the Tar Heels to a third-place team finish thus advancing to the NCAA Championship to be played May 18-21 at the Grand National Golf Club in Opelika, Ala.
Francella's victory marks the second time a Tar Heel has captured individual medalist honors at an NCAA Regional. Kimberly Byham won the 1993 NCAA East Regional with a 213 total.
Other Nominees:
WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD
Erin Donohue
Junior
Haddonfield, N.J.
Donohue qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 1,500-meters on Saturday after running 4:16.78 at the Blue Heaven Classic. She ran the second-fastest 1,500-meter time in UNC women's track & field history, behind only Shalane Flanagan's time of 4:11.60 in 2003. Donohue set her personal record and qualified for the NCAA Regionals with the mark as well. She is currently qualified for the NCAA Regionals in both the 800-meters and 1,500-meters and is tops in the ACC in the 1,500-meters.
SOFTBALL
Crystal Cox
Sophomore, Pitcher
Harrisburg, N.C.
Cox pitched a complete game shutout Saturday in game one of a doubleheader versus Campbell. She allowed just one hit and one walk in the 1-0 victory and struck out 13 batters in the process. Cox also set the UNC single-season strikeout record, as she now has 266 strikeous on the year. She has pitched 12 shutouts this year and leads the ACC in complete games with 28. For the season, Cox is 22-11 with a team-high 1.60 ERA. After just two seasons at UNC, Cox is third all-time in career strikeouts with 515.
BASEBALL
Chris Iannetta
Junior, Catcher
Providence, R.I.
Iannetta batted .500 (10-for-20) with five runs scored and seven runs batted in to lead North Carolina to a 3-1 week, including a series victory over Maryland. After going 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI in Wednesday's win at UNC Greensboro, Iannetta 7-for-15 with four runs scored and six RBI against the Terps. He went 2-for-5 with three RBI in Friday's 11-9 win over Maryland. He drove in the eventual winning run with a two-run single in the eighth. On Saturday, Iannetta tied a career high with four hits, including a double and a home run, as Carolina won 7-1. On the year, Iannetta lead the team with a .370 average and ranks second on the squad with 10 home runs and 57 RBI.
ROWING
Novice eight
The UNC novice eight finished third in a field of 30 boats over the weekend at the Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia. Racing in the novice eight were coxswain Lauren Withycombe, Anna Fabiszewski, Mary Casale, Ashley Williamson, Cleo Washington, Christin Cotten, Sara Bentley, Catherine Nitz and Keegan Drenosky.
![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
