Conrad earns medalist honors at IWU Spring Fling

NORMAL, Ill. – In a field of nationally-ranked teams, the Olivet College women's golf team finished in fifth-place (out of 20 schools) at the 2011 Illinois Wesleyan University Spring Fling at the Ironwood Golf Club in Normal, Ill. The tournament was shortened to 18 holes after Saturday's round was wiped out because of the rain. Individually, senior Amber Conrad (Battle Creek/Harper Creek) earned tournament medalist honors with a two-over par 74.

The #18 Comets carded a 321 team score, which was only six strokes behind tournament champion and #13 North Central (Ill.) College. William Woods (Mo.) University, an NAIA institution, was second at 319. #1 DePauw (Ind.) University and #3 University of Wis.-Eau Claire tied for third-place at 320. Top 25 nationally-ranked teams finishing behind Olivet were #9 Saint Mary's (Ind.) College in sixth-place (334), #25 Rhodes (Tenn.) College in a tie for seventh-place (335), #7 Centre (Ky.) College and #10 Illinois Wesleyan tied for ninth (336) and #17 University of Wis.-Whitewater in a tie for 12th (342)

Conrad's 74 was two strokes better than the second-place finishers. Freshman Theresa Damico (White Lake/Lakeland) joined her on the all-tournament team with an 81. Junior Lauren Campbell (Fenton) was next with an 82. Freshman Adrienne Jones (Redford/Thurston) shot and 84, and senior Abby Wheeler (Grayling) was one stroke behind with an 85.

Olivet is now off until Friday and Saturday, April 29-30, when it travels to play the second and third rounds of the MIAA playoffs at the Blackthorne Golf Club in Notre Dame, Ind. The Comets won the first round and lead Saint Mary's by 12 strokes. The school with the lowest cumulative total after the three rounds will receive the league's automatic bid to the 2011 NCAA Division III National Championships.