Weekly Release #10
4/3/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Upcoming Schedule
Sat-Sun., April 7-8 -- at Indiana Invitational (Bloomington, Ind.)
Sat-Sun., April 14-15 -- at Hawkeye Invitational (Iowa City, Iowa)
Next on the Tee
The University of Michigan women's golf team will stay in the Midwest for the first time this spring season for a key NCAA Central Regional tournament as the Wolverines will head to Bloomington, Ind., to participate in the Indiana Invitational, Saturday and Sunday (April 7-8) at the Indiana University Golf Course. The IU Golf Course will be set up for a par of 72 and 6,700 yards for the 54-hole tournament.
Invitational Teams
There will be 15 NCAA Central Regional teams participating in the Indiana Invitational, which includes eight Big Ten teams at the Invitational. The list of participants includes: Illinois State, No. 35 Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, No. 28 Kent State, No. 31 Michigan, No. 24 Michigan State, No. 42 Minnesota, Missouri, No. 14 Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio, No. 17 Ohio State, Southern Illinois and Wisconsin.
Invitational Schedule
The Indiana Invitational will consist of 54 holes, 36 holes played Saturday (April 7) and concluding with a final 18 on Sunday (April 8).
| Friday, April 6 | Practice Round | Tee times throughout the day |
| Saturday, April 7 | First Round | Shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. EST/CDT |
| | Second Round | Shotgun start at 1 p.m. EST/CDT |
| Sunday, April 8 | Final Round | Shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. EST/CDT |
Scoring Format
Scoring for the Indiana Invitational will be five players, count the low four scores each round.
The Michigan Lineup
The Wolverines will carry five players for the Michigan squad at the Indiana Invitational. Sophomore Kim Benedict (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams HS), junior LeAnna Wicks (Brighton, Mich./Brighton HS), junior Bess Bowers (Bloomington, Ind./Bloomington North HS), junior Cortney Reno (Grosse Ile, Mich./Grosse Ile HS) and junior Misia Lemanski (Grosse Ile, Mich./Grosse Ile HS) will all be heading to Bloomington.
Wolverines Move Up to Tie for Seventh at Shootout
The Wolverines moved up two spots in rainy and cold conditions to finish tied for seventh at the Baylor/Iowa San Antonio Shootout (March 25-26) at Pecan Valley Golf Club. The Wolverines tallied team totals of 313 and 320 to finish with a 633 to tie with Kansas State (308-325). For the Maize and Blue, Kim Benedict and Cortney Reno led the way as they both tied for 19th. Benedict fired back-to-back rounds of 79 for her 158 total, while Reno's 158 total included a one-over-par 73 in the first round. As for the rest of the Wolverines, Bess Bower and Misia Lemanski tied for 24th. Bowers carded rounds of 82 and 78 for a 160 total, while Lemanski, who competed as an individual, fired rounds of 81 and 79. LeAnna Wicks tied for 33rd (80-81/161) and Sarah Kruer tied for 44th (81-82).
Wolverines Stay in the Top 35
The Wolverines have stayed in the top 35 in the country according to the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings (April 2) as they sit at No. 31 in the nation. Michigan is one of six Big Ten schools in the top 35, joining No. 14 Northwestern, No. 17 Ohio State, No. 20 Purdue, No. 24 Michigan State and No. 35 Indiana. The Central District, which Michigan is part of, leads the way with 14 teams in the top 35. The East District has 11 and the West District is third with 10.
Individuals Stay in Top 150; One In Top 100
The Wolverines have three players ranked in the top 150 in the nation according to the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings (April 2) as Kim Benedict is ranked 100th with a 75.28 rating, Cortney Reno is 128th (75.94) and LeAnna Wicks is 137th (76.08). Arizona's Lorena Ochoa is the No. 1 golfer in the country with a 70.04 rating.
Six Staying Strong
Six Wolverines are averaging below 80 strokes per round; in fact, three are below the 78-stroke barrier after the four spring tournaments of the season. Cortney Reno leads the team with a 77.27 stroke average, while Kim Benedict (77.52) and LeAnna Wicks (77.76) are close behind. Bess Bowers is fourth at 78.57 and Misia Lemanski is fifth at 79.57. Sarah Kruer makes it six players, as she has lowered her average to 79.76 in the spring. The amazing part of the low averages is that there have been only three golfers school history to hold below an 80 per round average -- Benedict, 79.24 in 1999-2000; Sharon Park (1996-99), 78.42 in 1997-98 and 79.14 in 1996-97 and Wendy Westfall (1994-97), 79.50 in 1996-97.
Benedict Starts to Heat Up
Kim Benedict continues to play consistent golf for the Wolverines as she fired back-to-back rounds of 79 at the San Antonio Shootout (March 24-25) to lead the Wolverines at a tournament for the fourth time this season. She tied for 19th with teammate Cortney Reno. Benedict is second on the team with a 77.52 stroke average.
Wolverines Get Second Trophy
The team victory at the Hatter Spring Fling (March 17-18) was the Wolverines' second title in their first three spring tournaments. The Wolverines won their first tournament in five years at the Lady Aztec Invitational (Feb. 12-13) at Barona Creek Golf Course in Lakeside, Calif. The Wolverines tied BYU for the Invitational title (311). Before that, the Maize and Blue's last team tournament trophy was at the 1996 Purdue Invitational (April 13-14). The win at the Lady Aztec gives the Wolverines their 11th tournament team title since 1981, six of which have come under coach Kathy Teichert's reign.
Wolverines and the Trophy
| Date | Tournament Titles |
| March 17-18, 2001 | Stetson's Hatter Spring Fling |
| Feb. 12-13, 2001 | Lady Aztec Invitational |
| April 13-14, 1996 | Purdue Invitational |
| March 24-25, 1996 | Saluki Invitational |
| Oct. 6-8, 1995 | Lady Kat Invitational |
| May 1-2, 1994 | Lady Eagle Invitational |
| Sept. 7-8, 1991 | Wolverine Invitational |
| Oct. 20, 1991 | Bowling Green Fall Invitational |
| Sept. 8-9, 1991 | Wolverine Invitational |
| Fall of 1986 | Notre Dame Invitational |
| Fall of 1981 | Wolverine Invitational |
The Leaders and Best
So far, five different Wolverines have led the Maize and Blue in the nine tournaments this year. The latest are Kim Benedict and Cortney Reno, who both tied for 19th at the San Antonio Shootout (March 25-26). Benedict has now been the top Wolverine in four of the nine tournaments this year, while Reno has led in three.
Leaders and Best
| Kim Benedict | 2nd* | Fossum Invitational | Sept. 23-24, 2000 |
| | t-12th | Shootout at the Legends | Oct. 9-10, 2000 |
| | 2nd* | Hatter Spring Fling | March 17-18, 2001 |
| | t-19th | San Antonio Shootout | March 25-26, 2001 |
| Cortney Reno | 1st | Wolverine Invitational | Sept. 16-17, 2000 |
| | t-2nd | Lady Aztec Invitational | Feb. 12-13, 2001 |
| | t-19th | San Antonio Shootout | March 25-26, 2001 |
| Bess Bowers | t-10th | Lady Northern | Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2000 |
| Misia Lemanski | t-8th | Central District Classic | Oct. 23-24, 2000 |
| LeAnna Wicks | t-18th | Midwest Classic | Feb. 23-25, 2001 |
*lost in playoff for first place | |||
Total Destroys School Mark
The Wolverines' 602 total at the Hatter Spring Fling (March 17-18) destroyed Michigan's team best two-round tournament total mark by 18 strokes. Michigan's previous best was a 620 shot at the James Madison Invitational (Oct. 8-9, 1994).
Lowering the Standards
| 602 | Stetson's Hatter Spring Fling | March 17-18, 2001 |
| 620 | James Madison Invitational | Oct. 8-9, 1994 |
| 622 | Midwest Classic | Feb. 21-22, 1997 |
| 624 | Midwest Classic | Feb. 21-22, 1998 |
| 627 | Notre Dame Invitational | 1986-87 season |
| 630 | Boilermaker Invitational | April 12-13, 1997 |
Breaking the Barrier
With Michigan's first round of 299 at the Hatter Spring Fling (March 17-18), the Wolverines have struck below the 300-stroke barrier for the third time this season and fifth time in Michigan history. Earlier this season, the Wolverines fired a school-record 287 in the final round of the Shootout at the Legend (Oct. 9-10).
Lowering the Barrier
| 287 | third round, Shootout at the Legends | Oct. 9-10, 2000 |
| 299 | first round, Hatter Spring Fling | March 17-18, 2001 |
| 299 | second round, Shootout at the Legends | Oct. 9-10, 2000 |
| 299 | fourth round, 2000 Big Ten Championships | April 28-30, 2000 |
| 299 | first round, Hawkeye Invitational | April 15-16, 2000 |
| 300 | third round, Lady Northern | Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2000 |
| 300 | second round, Lady Kat Invitational | Oct. 6-8, 1995 |
| 300 | third round, Lady Kat Invitational | Oct. 6-8, 1995 |
Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
