Weekly Release #8

Upcoming Schedule
Mon-Tue., March 10-11 -- at UC Irvine Anteater Invitational (Coto de Caza, Calif.)
Mon-Wed., March 24-26 -- at Betsy Rawls Invitational (Austin, Texas)

Next on the Tee: Anteater Invitational
After the final round at the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge (Feb. 12) was rained out, Michigan head coach Kathy Teichert added an additional tournament to the Wolverines' schedule to make up for the lost round. The Maize and Blue will travel to Coto de Caza, Calif., to participate in the inaugural UC Irvine Anteater Invitational on Monday and Tuesday (March 10-11) at Coto de Caza Country Club. The 54-hole tournament will be played on the South Course, which will be set up for a par of 72 and 6,061 yards.

The Anteater Invitational Field
The Anteater Invitational features 13 teams: Austin Peay, Boise State, Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, Cal State-Northridge, Cal State-San Marcos, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, Denver, Eastern Michigan, Iowa State, Kansas, Michigan and Texas Tech.

The Anteater Invitational Schedule
The Anteater Invitational will consist of 54 holes, 36 being played Monday (March 10) and a final 18 Tuesday (March 11).

Sunday, March 9	Practice Round	Tee times throughout the day
Monday, March 10	First Round	8:30 a.m. (shotgun start)
	Second Round	1:30 p.m. (shotgun start)
Tuesday, March 11	Final Round	8:30 a.m. (shotgun start)

The Anteater Invitational Scoring Format
Scoring for the Anteater Invitational will be five players, count the low four scores each round. Teams will be allowed one individual player.
 
The Michigan Lineup at the Anteater Invitational
The Wolverines will carry five players for the Michigan squad at the Anteater Invitational. Sophomore Laura Olin (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie HS) and senior Kim Benedict (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams HS) will head up the five-member team. The remaining team positions will be determined during the evaluation of the spring break training trip. Fifth-year senior Stephanie Stasik (Lubbock, Texas/Coronado HS), junior Sarah Kruer (La Jolla, Calif./La Jolla Country Day), junior/sophomore Courtney Goebel (Huntington Beach, Calif./Marina HS), freshman Amy Schmucker (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori HS) and freshman Kelly Easton (Port Huron, Mich./Northern HS) are all being considered for the remaining positions.

Last Time on the Links: U-M Ties for Eighth at Central District
The Wolverines dropped three spots in the final round to tie for eighth at the Central District Invitational (Feb. 24-25) at River Wilderness Golf Club in Parrish, Fla. The Wolverines, who stood in fifth place after the first two rounds, finished with a team total of 937 after rounds of 315, 304 and 318. Laura Olin led the Wolverines, tying for 19th for her sixth top-20 finish of the season. Olin had back-to-back six-over 78s on the first day and dropped two strokes for a 76 in the final round for a 232 total. After opening the tournament with an 80, Kim Benedict struck back in the second round with a season-best even-par 72, which included four birdies on the day, then carded an 82 to tie for 24th with a 234 54-hole total. Stephanie Stasik, who tied for 37th, opened with an 82 but made three birdies in a three-over 75 in the second round before her 80 in the third round put her at a 237 tournament total. Amy Schmucker finished just behind Stasik with a 238 total and a tie for 42nd after she opened with a four-over 76 which included two birdies but followed with an 82 and an 80. Sarah Kruer tied for 63rd with a 246 total (81-79-86).

Olin Stays Consistent
Laura Olin has finished as the top Wolverine in six of the seven events this season. Her best finish was a tie for fourth at the Wolverine Invitational (Sept. 14-15). Olin's 223 total at the Women's Collegiate Shootout (Oct. 7-8) reset her season best by four strokes. Her previous best was 227 tallied at the Lady Northern (Sept. 28-29). She leads the team with 76.75 strokes per round.

Benedict Keeps Going and Going
Kim Benedict played in her 44th consecutive tournament for the Wolverines at the Central District Classic. She is averaging 77.90 per round, which is second on the team. This season, she has recorded two top-10 finishes -- fifth at the Lady Northern (Sept. 28-29) and tied for eighth at the Wolverine Invitational (Sept. 14-15). She had a season-best 223 total at the Lady Northern.

Maize and Blue Continues to Improve
Michigan's 908 total at the Women's Collegiate Shootout (Oct. 7-8) lowered the season-best 54-hole total by two strokes, bettering the 910 tallied at the Lady Northern (Sept. 28-29). Michigan's second-round team total of 299 marked a season best, topping the 300 in the second round at the Lady Northern. The 299 is the 21st time in school history the Maize and Blue has scored under 300. The Wolverines are averaging 311.75 per team round.

Schmucker Making Most of First Season
Amy Schmucker has made the most of her first seven collegiate tournaments, as she is third on the team with a 79.05 scoring average. She had a career-best 229 total in her first collegiate tournament at the Wolverine Invitational (Sept. 14-15), where she posted her career-best finish with a tie for fourth. She also recorded a career-best single-round score of 74 in the final round of the Women's Collegiate Shootout (Oct. 7-8).

Stasik Continues to Strike
Stephanie Stasik has played in all seven tournament this season. She is fourth on the team in scoring average with an 80.35 per round average. She has a season-best tie for 18th at the Fossum Invitational after her season-best 233 total. She has eight of her 20 rounds below the 80-stroke barrier, including a season-best 74 in the second round of the Women's Collegiate Shootout.

Coming On Strong
The Wolverines are averaging 317.0 as a team during the first round of tournaments this season. However, they dramatically improve in the second and third rounds, dropping nearly nine strokes as they are averaging 308.1 as a team in the second round and 309.8 in the third round. For 54-hole tournaments this season they have been averaging 926.6.

Benedict Named 2002 GAM Women's Player of the Year
Kim Benedict was named the 2002 Golf Association of Michigan Women's Player of the Year  in December after taking home medalist honors at the 2002 GAM Women's Championship last summer. The senior Wolverine captured her second GAM Women's Championship title on Aug. 19-20, winning by five strokes after firing rounds of 75-72 for a 147 championship total at Chemung Hills Country Club in Howell, Mich. Benedict finished ahead of Michigan State women's golf coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll (80-72/152) and former U-M teammates Misia Lemanski (74-78/152) and LeAnna Wicks (76-77/153).  Benedict also won the GAM Women's Championship trophy after in 1999. She placed third in 2001 and fourth in 2000.

Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423