Lenoir-Rhyne Wins 2017 South Atlantic Conference Women's Golf Championship

FULL RESULTS

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Lenoir-Rhyne women's golf team rallied from a three-shot deficit to win the 2017 South Atlantic Conference Championship Tuesday at Link Hills Country Club.

The Bears carded a SAC Championship record 908 to win by three shots over tournament host Tusculum, who led following each of the first two rounds.

The title is the third in program history for Lenoir-Rhyne and first for Bears' head coach Elliott Gealy.

L-R's 54-hole total surpasses the previous SAC Tournament best of 912 posted by Newberry in the 2012 event.

The Bears placed three players in the top eight, including 2017 SAC Player of the Year Abbey Hartsell, who fired a one-under par total of 215, including her final round 74 on Tuesday.

Carson-Newman's Elizabeth England captured tournament medalist honors with her SAC Championship 54-hole record total of 214 (-2), edging Hartsell by a single shot.  England followed Monday's SAC record 66 with a final round 75.

Lincoln Memorial had the round of the day with a team score of 300 as the Railsplitters finished with 918 and a third place finish.  Wingate was fourth with 924, while Anderson finished with 927 to round out the top-five.  Coker was sixth with 928, followed by Carson-Newman (929), Queens (932), Catawba (959), Newberry (967) and Mars Hill (1164).

Joining England and Hartsell on the SAC All-Tournament first team are Tusculum's Ciara Rattana and Lenoir-Rhyne's Ainee O'Connor who tied for third place honors with 226, while the trio of Reagan Greene (LMU), Lise Malherbe (LMU) and Kate Hill (Anderson) tying for fifth place with 227.

The SAC All-Tournament second team is made up of the four players who tied for eighth place at 228, including Katie Tomassoni (Tusculum), Diana McDonald (Wingate), Bella Harris (Coker) and Chelsea Mansell (Lenoir-Rhyne).

The round of the day was carded by Reagan Greene of Lincoln Memorial as she posted a one-under 71, which was highlighted by her hole-in-one on the par-3 third hole.

SAC All-Tournament

First Team (Top – 5 and ties)
Elizabeth England, Carson-Newman
Abbey Hartsell, Lenoir-Rhyne
Ainee O'Connor, Lenoir-Rhyne
Ciara Rattana, Tusculum
Kate Hill, Anderson
Reagan Greene, Lincoln Memorial
Lise Malherbe, Lincoln Memorial

Second Team (Top 6 -10 and ties
Diana McDonald, Wingate
Katie Tomassoni, Tusculum
Bella Harris, Coker
Chelsea Mansell, Lenoir-Rhyne

2017 SAC Women's Golf Championship

Link Hills Country Club
Greeneville, Tenn.
Par 72, 5910