Wednesday, April 13, 2005

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College women's golf team enters the 2005 South Atlantic Conference Championship in search of its third SAC title, but first since 2001. The Pioneers begin their quest April 18 at the Lake Hickory Country Club in Hickory, N.C.

Leading the Pioneers is sophomore Shannon Palenkas (Maryville, Tenn.) who has an 83.84 scoring average, tops on the team. Palenkas has two top-10 performances including a fourth-place finish at the Hargett Memorial in March.

The 2004 SAC Freshman of the Year Amanda Bowen (Millington, Tenn.) ranks second on the team in scoring at 86.24 and is looking to improve on her eighth-place finish in the SAC Championships a season ago.

Newcomer Rachel Quinlan-Waters (Cincinnati, Ohio) played some of her best golf early on as three of her top four rounds came in the fall season. She saved her best for last, carding a season-low 81 at this the McAmis Memorial earlier this month.

Fellow rookie Mandy Hartsock (Kingsport, Tenn.) has an 11^th-place showing to her credit and shot a season-low 171 at the Lady Bear Intercollegiate in February.

The veteran of the group is junior Lisa Ruehman (Fellsmere, Fla.) who is fifth on the team in scoring for the second straight season and had her best outing of the season at the McAmis Memorial, shooting a 174.

Sophomore Becca Friddle (Honea Path, S.C.) has competed in eight tournaments and wrapped up the fall season in grand style posting a career-best 163, including a 77 in the first round, the second-lowest by a Pioneer this year.