May 26, 2006

COLUMBUS, Ohio - No. 11 California placed fifth Friday at the NCAA Championships with a 72-hole score of 1200 (+48) at the Scarlet Course. Propelled by freshman Allison Goodman's round of one-over 73, Cal carded a team score of 11-over 299 in today's final round.

"Anne (Walker, assistant coach) and I are very proud of the team," said Cal head coach Nancy McDaniel. "We're the only Pac-10 team to finish in the top five at the NCAA Championships for three straight years. It says a lot about the consistency in our program. It's another step in the right direction towards being recognized as a golf school -- a place where student-athletes can play golf and get a great education."

The Bears covered the front nine at 10-over-par but regained their composure on the back nine, finishing at one-over.

"The team finished the final five holes at two-under," said McDaniel. "They dug their heels in and knew what was at stake. We had great senior leadership. Allie and Sophia (Sheridan) birdied their final hole. It was a huge effort after the first day."

Top-ranked Duke claimed its second straight national title with a four-day score of 1167. Cal and Duke, which competes in the ACC, are the only two programs which have finished in the top five at NCAAs for three years in a row.

Fifth-ranked USC was the runner-up at 1177, No. 8 Pepperdine placed third at 1187, and No. 3 Arizona State grabbed fourth at 1195. Seven Pac-10 teams competed at this year's NCAA Championships and three finished in the top five. Cal, which was in 15th after the opening round, finished one shot ahead of Washington, Florida and Georgia.

USC's Dewi Schreefel won the individual crown by two shots at two-under 286 over Duke's Jennie Lee (288). UNLV's Da Sol Chung placed third at 290. Schreefel began the day three shots back in a tie for second but vaulted into first with a round of three-under 69.

Senior Sofie Andersson tied for 12th to lead all Cal golfers at seven-over 295 after firing a 74 in the final round. Andersson, who posted four birdies today, led the tournament with 15 overall and tied for the best par-5 scoring average (4.56, -7). She finished the season with a 73.83 stroke average, just shy of Sarah Huarte's - the 2004 NCAA champion - school record of 73.82, set in 2003-04.

Senior Sophia Sheridan tied for 33rd at 300, pacing the Bears with five birdies in the final round. Sheridan sank four birdies on the back nine to cap the tournament with a 75.

Cal junior Mika Takayama tied for 59th (305) with a 77 today, while Goodman tied for 64th (306). Freshman Shannon Yocum tied for 116th (323).

Andersson and Sheridan received honorable mention All-America distinction at the awards banquet this evening. Andersson became Cal's first three-time All-American, while Sheridan garnered her second All-America accolade.

The Cal women's golf program began its first season in 1995-96 and has competed in six straight and overall NCAA Championships. The Bears' best result was fourth in 2003-04.

NCAA Championships
Scarlet Course, Par 72, 6,203 yards
FINAL of Four Rounds

Team Scores (24): 1. Duke 1167 (297-292-287-291), 2. USC 1177 (291-300-298-288), 3. Pepperdine 1187 (301-295-298-293), 4. Arizona State 1195 (292-294-310-299), 5. California 1200 (305-301-295-299), 6t. Georgia 1202 (306-305-291-300), 6t. Washington 1202 (305-304-293-300), 6t. Florida 1202 (293-307-302-300), 9. Purdue 1203 (301-295-300-307), 10. Arkansas 1205 (299-313-298-295), 11. UCLA 1207 (301-306-303-297), 12. Auburn 1208 (301-298-305-304), 13t. Tennessee 1209 (303-290-315-301), 13t. Stanford 1209 (307-301-295-306), 15. Wake Forest 1211 (297-312-301-301), 16. Florida State 1213 (305-305-301-302), 17. Arizona 1216 (296-319-297-304), 18. Oklahoma State 1217 (311-299-308-299), 19. Texas A&M 1219 (302-306-316-295), 20. Nebraska 1221 (311-305-306-299), 21. Kent State 1229 (312-307-304-306), 22. UNLV 1230 (313-301-304-312), 23. Louisiana State 1232 (298-307-319-308), 24. Alabama 1248 (307-317-310-314).

Top 5 Individual Scores (126): 1. Dewi Schreefel, USC 286 (73-74-70-69), 2. Jennie Lee, Duke 288 ( 73-72-72-71), 3. Da Sol Chung, UNLV 290 (76-72-70-72), 4t. Sandra Gal, Florida 291 (74-72-71-74), 4t. Eileen Vargas, Pepperdine 291 (68-71-75-77).

Cal Scores: 12t. Sofie Andersson 295 (75-74-72-74), 33t. Sophia Sheridan 300 (75-76-74-75), 59t. Mika Takayama 305 (80-74-74-77), 64t. Allison Goodman 306 (78-80-75-73), 116t. Shannon Yocum 323 (77-77-88-81).