VIDEO: Suzanne Strudwick Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Two events in two different states set the stage for the Carson-Newman women's golf team as the Eagles enter the final week of their regular season schedule.
C-N will compete against the Newberry Wolves in a dual match at Monroe Country Club in Monroe, N.C. on Saturday and then travel to Greeneville, Tenn. for the 19th-annual Agnes McAmis Memorial hosted by Tusculum on Monday and Tuesday at Link Hills Country Club.
The Eagles are in the midst of a four week period where they will compete in four different events, which began at the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate two weeks ago and ends next week at the South Atlantic Conference Women's Golf Championships.
"I think playing the Bobby Nichols was great for them to get some high-level competition and finishing eighth out of the 14 teams was really good. We had the third-lowest team score on the last day," coach Suzanne Strudwick said. "It kind of proved to the girls that they could compete at that level and that they were not out of place there."
Seven Eagles will travel to both events with five players making up the team and two competing as individuals. Competing as members of the team are: freshman Taylor Hayes (Lake Ozark, Mo.), sophomore Elizabeth England (Oakland, Tenn.), junior Jessica Hart (Roanoke, Va.) and seniors Meridith Hawkins (Powell, Tenn.) and Kelli Pemberton (Knoxville, Tenn.). Freshman Summer Smith (Knoxville, Tenn.) and sophomore Mikaela Thibodeau (Davie, Fla.) will compete as individuals.
Last season, Carson-Newman knocked off Newberry in a dual match to open the spring season at the Country Club of Newberry. England won the individual medalist honors with a six-over 78, while the Eagles knocked off the Wolves by 10 strokes.
C-N and Newberry have competed at four tournaments during the 2015-16 season with the Eagles getting the upper hand three times at the Smokey Mountain Intercollegiate, SAC Preview and the Kiawah Island Intercollegiate. The Wolves and Carson-Newman tied for 11th at the Ross Resorts Rollins Invitational in September.
Monroe Country Club's front nine was designed by Donald Ross in 1936 and features subtle elevation changes and Ross-style greens. The back nine features a 1970's design by Tom Jackson and provides tree-lined fairways, large greens, tricky doglegs that can reward or punish any golfer.
"We wanted something that will get both of our teams competing and fighting a little bit more," Strudwick said. "For us, just getting your team a little bit hunger and competitive is a big thing heading into the last two events of the season. It totally made sense for us to go and get an early look at the conference course."
Once the Eagles make the venture back to the Volunteer State, they will face off with 15 other teams in the 19th-annual Agnes McAmis Memorial at Link Hills. Dating back to the inception of the program in 2008, Carson-Newman has played in every Agnes McAmis Memorial and has registered six top-five finishes in seven seasons.
The Eagles have never won the event, but has finished second twice and third three times. Last year, then-senior Danielle Baiunco led the team with a tie for 10th while the Eagles finished in third.
Link Hills Country Club provides a beautiful 18-hole layout and is nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains and just minutes away from historic downtown Greeneville. The 6,850-yard course for the men and 5,800-yard layout for the women was designed by Robert Trent Jones and opened in 1955. In 2002, Link Hills served as the host venue for the inaugural NCAA Division II Women's South Region Championship.
Lander is the reigning champion of the event, but the Bearcats will not compete in Greeneville in 2016. Competing against the host Pioneers and C-N will be: King (Tenn.), Newberry, Lincoln Memorial, North Greeneville, Indiana Tech, Converse, Maryville College, Brevard, Spartanburg Methodist, Lenoir-Rhyne, Belmont Abbey, Catawba, Pfeiffer and Anderson (S.C.). Eight total SAC teams are in the field.
"With our seniors, they have played in it every year and their goal is to win it. They just want to finish their years out on a high note," Strudwick said of the Tusculum event. "It's been a goal all year, it's been in our sights to win and for our seniors to finish really well on that course."
Results and a recap will be available on cneagles.com following the conclusion of all three rounds.
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