JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn.- To kick off the 2023 spring season, Carson-Newman women's golf will aim to continue its success at the Battle at Hilton Head Monday and Tuesday.
The Eagles have won this event two years in a row. In 2021, C-N staved off Lenoir-Rhyne winning by one stroke. Last spring, it was a three-stroke victory over Wingate.
"We have several players that have played there multiple times," Director of golf Randy Wylie said. "We've got a lot of experience even though from a coaching standpoint it's new to them. But they are going to kind of fall back on the seniors that we have that have played there a bunch and let them help almost with the coaching a little bit. I think have a lot of experience on this team is super helpful with the staff that is new."
The Eagles will compete at the two-day event hosted by Lincoln Memorial at the Robert Trent Jones course at the Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort. The course is a par 72 and has a total yardage of 5934 yards.
Participating for C-N is Maeve Cummins, Caroline Nemes, Ellie Haughton, Hannah Holland, and Ida Peterson. Alice Thomas will compete as an individual. Cummins, Haughton, and Holland were part of the two wins at the Battle at Hilton Head.
Cummins paced C-N this fall with a 75.3 scoring average. Her best finish of the fall season came at the City with Sprit Classic, finishing tied for 4th. The graduate student has been an integral part of C-N's success at this event. She has finished in the top five her last two trips to this event.
Nemes participated in nine events in the fall, posting a scoring average 78.1. Her final two rounds were both 4-over 75s, the best rounds of her season.
Haughton played all 12 rounds of the fall for the Eagles. Her 78.4 scoring average was lowered thanks to her spectacular final tournament of the season. The junior posted her best three-round score of the fall en route to a top 30 finish at the Rollins Legend Invitational. She was C-N's best score at this event last season, finishing in 3rd place, going 4-over for the tournament.
Holland finished her fall with a 77.8 scoring average. The fall was highlighted by her career-best 3-under 69 in the opening round of the City with Spirit Classic. Like Cummins and Haughton, Holland has played in this event the last two seasons. Both times, the graduate student has finished in the top 20.
Peterson will be making her C-N debut this week. The freshman is from Copenhagen, Denmark. Thomas played in one tournament this fall, going 26-over in the three rounds.
"We tend to drive it pretty straight," Wylie said. "I think around there (Robert Trent Jones course) that's critical and so it's a bit of a fairway hitting contest. We expect them to continue the good ball striking that we have and be smart around the greens and that should put us in good position to contend for the championship again."
Eagle fans can stay up to date with live scoring at this link:
https://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=team&tid=26564
