March 12, 1999

TAMPA, Fla. – The Notre Dame women’s golf team moved up two spots to earn a share of 13th place out of 23 teams, following final-round action Saturday at the 13th annual Northern Illinois Snowbird Intercollegiate, at Pebblecreek Country Club.

Notre Dame posted a four-player score of 326, improving five shots on its first round for a 657 total, just four shots behind Kent University and Ohio University. Methodist used a final-round 302 to claim the team title over runner-up Arkansas State by five strokes.

Irish junior Beth Cooper led the Irish with a 161 total, equaling the second-best 36-hole tournament score of her Notre Dame career. Cooper opened play on Thursday with a 76 on the par-72, 5,940-yard course before slipping to a 78 in Friday’s action.

Notre Dame juniors Andrea Klee (84-78) and Brigid Fisher (82-80) both finished with 162 totals, but Fisher was playing as an individual entrant and thus her scores did not count to the play-five/count-four team score.

Sophomore Mary Klein (84-81) improved three strokes from her opening round while sophomore Becca Schloss (87-92) and Danielle Villarosa (89-82) rounded out the starting five. Sophomore Shane Smith (82-83) and freshman Kristin McMurtrie (85-82) joined Fisher as Notre Dame’s individual entrants.

Penn State’s Laura Hammond (71-75) earned a four-stroke victory over Troy State’s Alison Woodward (76-74) in the individual competition.

Final Team Standings (36 holes): 1. Methodist 317-302/619; 2. Arkansas State 312-312/624; 3. Alabama-Birmingham 314-311/625; 4. Penn State 313-313/626; 5. Wisconsin 317-312/629; 6. Florida Southern 317-315/632; 7. Toledo 318-316/634; 8. Longwood 322-319/641; Troy State 324-317/641; 10. Oral Roberts 321-322/643; 11. Kent 328-325/653; Ohio 327-326/653; 13. Southwest Missouri 326-331/657; Notre Dame 331-326/657; 15. Wyoming 340-325/665; 16. Northern Illinois 328-342/670; 17. Gardner-Webb 367-341/708; 18. Creighton 357-361/718; 19. Bowling Green 365-359/724; 20. Daytona Beach CC 368-367/735; 21. Carthage 401-390-791; 22. Illinois Wesleyan 395-297/792; 23. Evansville 405-398/803.

TOP INDIVIDUALS (of 131): 1. Laura Hammond (PSU) 71-75/146; 2. Alison Woodward (TSU) 76-74/150; 3. Leign Ann Jones (ASU) 73-78/151; 4. Shanna Nagy (FSU) 75-77/152; Jessica Popiel (TOL) 76-76/152; 6. Amanda Beeler (ASU) 78-75/153; Susan Seabrook (UAB) 76-77/153; 8. Tenice Nilson (MC) 79-75/154

NOTRE DAME SCORES: Beth Cooper 76-85/161, Brigid Fisher (indiv.) 82-80/162, Andrea Klee 84-78/162, Shane Smith (indiv.) 82-83/165, Mary Klein 84-81/165, Kristin McMurtrie (indiv.) 85-82/167, Becca Schloss 87-92/179, Danielle Villarosa 89-82/171.