DWU women claim 8th straight GPAC title

MITCHELL, S.D. – In what had become an annual coronation for the Dakota Wesleyan University women's golf team, the Tigers found themselves in a battle to retain the Great Plains Athletic Conference championship in the final round Monday at Wild Oak Golf Course in Mitchell, S.D.

The Tigers came into the round locked in a four-way standstill at the top of the conference standings, with four strokes separating the top four teams after three rounds. DWU used its home course advantage to hold off the three challengers, including an early push from Morningside College.

DWU got a strong performance from senior Lauren Fitts (Brookings, S.D.) and junior April Barnett (Lakeview, Texas), both competing in their final event at Wild Oak. The two navigated a tough back nine to help DWU emerge from the pack with a win in the fourth qualifier and an eighth straight GPAC title. The Tigers have won 13 the last 14 conference titles and will continue play at the NAIA National Championships May 17-20 at Savannah Quarters Country Club in Pooler, Georgia.

After four rounds, the Tigers closed with a total score of 1,349 after carding a round-best 331 Monday. DWU came into the round one stroke back of Mount Marty College, which took third place with a 1,363. The fourth round was the first DWU won this season. The Tigers will be joined at the national tournament by GPAC runner-up Morningside College, which earns the league's second automatic qualifier after finishing five strokes back of DWU.

For the fourth time in her career, Fitts finished the season atop the individual standings, topping the field by 15 strokes. Fitts started her round with a birdie and scored a 78 to finish third on the day. The win earns Fitts her fourth career GPAC Player-of-the-Year honor, joining former DWU golfer Dani Bellet as the only GPAC athletes to claim the award four times in any sport.

Finishing at the top of the leaderboard in the fourth round was Barnett, who carded two birdies on the back nine to post a 76. Barnett was one of only two golfers to score lower on the back nine than the front, shooting an even-par 36 to close her round. The score pushed Barnett to sixth on the individual leaderboard, earning All-GPAC honors. The Qualifier win marks the first for Barnett in her career.

In her final GPAC competition, senior Taylor Anshutz (Gregory, S.D.) carded an 84, while freshman Nicole Nelson rebounded from a couple of tough holes on the back nine to finish with a 93 in the final round. Anshutz finished the GPAC season in a tie for 13^th place.