ORU Women Win 10th Title; Men Fall 1 Stroke Short in Mid-Con Golf Championships

[Bogus Smith]

WIU Men, ORU Women Crowned 2007 Mid-Con Golf Champions

2007 Mid-Con Men's Golf Champion Western Illinois

2007 Mid-Con Women's Golf Champion Oral Roberts

BOSSIER CITY, La. - The Western Illinois men and Oral Roberts women maintained their spots atop the leaderboards Tuesday on the way to claiming the 2007 Mid-Continent Conference Men?s and Women?s Golf Championships in Bossier City, La. The Leathernecks and Golden Eagles clinch the Mid-Con?s automatic berths into the NCAA Men?s and Women?s Tournament, respectively.

Western Illinois? men?s squad secured its Mid-Con record seventh crown after claiming back-to-back titles for the first time since winning three-straight from 1983-1985. The Leathernecks finished the Championship 1-under par with a score of 863 (289-284-290). Oral Roberts picked up seven strokes on the Leathernecks on the final day and shot the best round of the tournament Tuesday (283), but fell one stroke short with an 864 (289-292-283). Southern Utah, which held the lead after the opening round, finished third with an 871 (288-292-283). UMKC was just four strokes behind the Thunderbirds with an 875 (294-294-287) for fourth place, while IUPUI ended the tournament with an 894 (296-294-304). Oakland?s 912 (304-303-305) and Centenary?s 989 (321-321-347) rounded out the men?s leaderboard.

ORU?s women?s team won its 10th-straight Mid-Con Golf Championship, shooting a 919 (307-308-304) and taking the crown by 39 strokes. Oakland finished in second place for the fourth straight year and ended the tournament with a 958 (313-329-316), while Centenary checked in at third place with a 971 (318-320-333). UMKC placed fourth with a 984 (319-333-332), while IUPUI?s 1,006 (338-329-339) and Western Illinois? 1,010 (346-334-330) completed the women?s standings.

Western Illinois? Tim Streng took home Player of the Year honors after a three-round total of 208 (71-69-68), including the final-round 68 that held off Oral Roberts? Scott Stiles? comeback. Stiles shot a Mid-Con Championship-best 67 Tuesday, but still fell three stokes short of Streng, finishing with a 211 (70-74-67).  Stiles? teammate Mauricio Tamez finished in third place, just four shots off the lead, after shooting a 212 (72-71-69) and IUPUI?s Brandon Smart shot a 214 and finished in fourth place. UMKC?s Stephen Clark and Southern Utah?s Matt McArthur joined Streng, Stiles, Tamez and Smart on the All-Mid-Con first team after finishing tied for fifth with a 216. The Newcomer of the Year award went to Stiles, while Coach of the Year honors went to Western Illinois? Mel Blasi.

The men?s All-Mid-Con second team consisted of Western Illinois? Nick Kwaterski (217), Southern Utah?s Tai Reynolds (217), Oakland?s Chad Elliott (219), UMKC?s Michael Schnegelberger (219) and Southern Utah?s Nate Page (219).

Oral Roberts swept the top three spots on the women?s side as Pamela Ontiveros led the Golden Eagles with a three-round score of 224(75-70-79), including a Mid-Con Championship-best 70 in the second round en route to Player of the Year honors. Teammates Christy Carter (232) and Jessica Gibson (233) finished second and third, respectively. IUPUI?s Kellie Marshall (234) and Oral Roberts? Ashley Mashunkashey (236) wrapped up the All-Mid-Con first team.

The women?s All-Mid-Con second team recipients were Centenary?s Chloe Mims (237), Oakland?s Jenna Goulet (238), Centenary?s Jessica Garza (241), Western Illinois? Becky Allen, UMKC?s Danielle Zejdlik (243) and Oakland?s Nichole Swan (243). Oral Roberts? Megan O?Connell took home Newcomer of the Year honors after finishing in 14th place with a 244, while the 2007 Coach of the Year award went to Oral Roberts? Lance Watson.

The Mid-Continent Conference is comprised of eight member institutions - Centenary College of Louisiana, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), Oakland University, Oral Roberts University, Southern Utah University, Valparaiso University and Western Illinois University. The conference also has two associate members in swimming & diving. The league offers championships in 19 sports.