Carolina Qualifies For The NCAA Championships

Saturday, May 7

Stanford, Cali.

All Day

North Carolina

NCAA Regional

May 7, 2016 | Women's Golf

By: UNC Athletic Communications

STANFORD, Cali. – The University of North Carolina women's golf team qualified for the 2016 NCAA Women's Golf Championships by finishing fourth at the NCAA Stanford Regional on Saturday. The Tar Heels shot 3-over par 287 in the final round to solidify their ticket to Eugene, Ore., for the NCAA Championships. Carolina was 26-over 878 for the entire tournament.

“We talked to the girls about going in today about not holding onto sixth place, we were talking about going up the leaderboard and that's what we did,” head coach Jan Mann said. “I'm so proud of them for playing with determination and heart. They didn't play scared in the least. There was a lot of pressure and a lot on the line. It was a tight field and anyone could have ended up in the third through sixth places. For them to hang tough all that long meant a lot to me.

“It proved to me and to them how good they really are. We've had up and downs throughout the season and in the tournament going from 15th to 6th and ending up fourth. They worked hard and it's well deserved. There were certainly times where they played well throughout the year but we did struggle. It's all about coming through in the end and that's what we did.”

Carolina is advancing to the NCAA Championship for the 15th time in program history and second time under Mann. The last time the Tar Heels qualified for the NCAA Championship was in 2012 when Catherine O'Donnell took home the individual championship at the regional along the way to helping the team qualify.

Senior Elizabeth Mallett from Sutton Coldfield, England led the Tar Heels in the tournament and on the final day. Mallett posted a 1-under 70 on Satuday with three birdies, four bogeys and an eagle. Mallett was the only competitor to eagle the par-5 seventh hole. She finished the tournament tied for ninth at 2-over. Sophomore Bryana Nguyen tied Mallett for 1-under par in the final round. The Columbia, Md., native had two birdies to just one bogey on her final scorecard. She finished the tournament 13-over and tied for 52nd. Freshman Kelly Whaley shot 2-over par 73 to end the tournament at 8-over par. Whaley, from Farmington, Conn., tied for 27th among all individuals. Leslie Cloots, a junior from Antwerp, Belgium, posted a 3-over par 73 in the final round. She tied for 18th overall at 6-over par. Sophomore Lexi Harkins from Crystal Lake, Ill., finished the final round at 4-over 75 and was 20-over for the tournament.

USC and host Stanford tied for first at 4-over par 856. Ohio State finished third at 23-over par while North Carolina took fourth at 26-over par. Arkansas was just a stroke behind at 27-over par for fifth place. Virginia was the final team to qualify for the NCAA Championships taking sixth at 31-over par.

The Tar Heels will compete at the 2016 NCAA Women's Golf Championships on May 20-25 in Eugene, Ore. There will be a total of 24 teams competing at the Eugene Country Club. GoHeels.com will have more information about the NCAA Championships in the coming weeks.