March 17, 2001

Tampa, Fla. – The University of Notre Dame women’s golf team closed out the final day of play at the 15th Annual Snowbird Intercollegiate on Friday, shooting a 37-over par, 325 to finish ninth in a field of 17 teams with a 36-hole total of 649 (324-325). The tournament was played at the par 72, 5,940-yard Pebblecreek Country Club.

The Irish finished 26 strokes behind tournament champion, Arkansas State University, which led the tournament from start to finish with a 36-hole team total of 623 (305-318). Southern Illinois was second finishing 10 strokes off the pace with a 633 (313-320). The Salukis were followed by the University of Idaho (635 – 325-310), the University of Illinois (638, 324-314) and the University of Toledo (639, 321-318) to round out the top five teams.

Notre Dame was led individually by freshman Shannon Byrne (Arlington Heights, Ill.) and sophomore Terri Taibl (Elm Grove, Wisc.) who both shot 36-hole totals of 158. Byrne followed her opening round 78 with an 80 while Taibl, playing as an individual entrant shot consecutive 79’s for her 158 total. The 12th place finish was the best of Bynre’s career at Notre Dame. Both finished eight strokes behind tourney medalist, Shellie Wenzel (Arkansas State) who fired a two-day total of six-over par, 150 (73-77) to edge Sarah Yeo (Yale) and Jennifer Shutt (Southern Illinois) by one stroke.

Also finishing in the top 20 for the Irish were senior Shane Smith (St. Petersburg, Fla.) and sophomore Shelby Strong (Stillwater, Minn.) who tied for 17th with 36-hole totals of 160. Smith opened with an 82 and followed that with a final round 78 while Strong bounced back from an opening 84 with an impressive 76 in Friday’s closing round.

The Irish had ten players in the tournament with five playing as individual entries. Rounding out the scoring members of the team along with Byrne and Smith were Danielle Villarosa (Sr., Verona, N.J.) and Kristin McMurtrie (Jr., Calgary, Alb.) who tied for 46th with 36-hole totals of 166 and Rebecca Rogers (Fr., Alpharetta, Ga.) who was a stroke behind in a tie for 54th at 167. Villarosa shot 83-83 for her 166 while McMurtrie had rounds of 82-84. Rogers opened with an 82 before shooting an 85 on Friday for her 167.

Junior Lauren Fuchs (Lexington, Ky.) finished in a tie for 39th as an individual entrant. Fuchs fired rounds of 80 and 85 for a 36-hole total of 165. She was followed by freshman Jeanne Murphy (Alexandria, Va.) who finished tied for 63rd with a 169 (83-86) and Priscilla Ro (So., Falls Church, Va.) who tied for 67th with a 170 on rounds of 83-87.

The women’s golf team will return to action on Saturday-Sunday, March 31- April 1 at the William and Mary Invitational in Williamsburg, Va.

TEAM RESULTS (36 hole totals): 1. Arkansas State University 305-318-623, 2. Southern Illinois University 313-320-633, 3. University of Idaho 325-310-635, 4. University of Illinois 324-314-638, 5. University of Toledo 321-318-639, 6. Lynn University 327-316-643, 7. Yale University 326-319-645, 8. University of Texas-Pan Am 325-323-648, 9. University of Notre Dame 324-325-649, 10. Eastern Kentucky University 336-315-651, 11. Northern Illinois University 334-328-664, 12. Bowling Green State University 333-338-671, University of Cincinnati 343-328-671, 14. University of Indianapolis 349-355-704, 15. John A. Logan College 356-366-722, 16. Baldwin-Wallace College 389-363-752, 17. Illinois Wesleyan University 394-364-758.

TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS (of 110): 1. Shellie Wenzel (Arkansas State) 73-77-150, 2. Jennifer Shutt (Southern Illinois) 73-78-151, Sarah Yeo (Yale) 76-75-151, 4. Allison Hiller (Southern Illinois) 78-74-152, 5. Melissa Holland (Arkansas State) 77-76-153, Gabriella Jakobsson (Lynn) 75-78-153, 7. Julie Wells (Idaho) 76-78-154, 8. Sara Crisp (Arkansas State) 76-79-155, 9. Maria Cox (Illinois) 78-78-156, 10. Kristine Worden (Arkansas State) 76-81-157, Courtney Krell (Lynn) 79-78-157.

NOTRE DAME SCORES: t12. Shannon Byrne 78-80-158, t12. Terri Taibl 79-79-158, t17. Shane Smith 82-78-160, t17. Shelby Strong 84-76-160, t39. Lauren Fuchs 80-85-165, t46. Danielle Villarosa 83-83-166, t46. Kristin McMurtrie 82-84-166, t54. Rebecca Rogers 82-85-167, t63. Jeanne Murphy 83-86-167, t67. Priscilla Ro 83-87-167.