Besio earns national tournament bid in dramatic fashion

Newberry finishes 8th, but qualifies first individual for the NCAA Championships in school history

Box Score

SALISBURY, N.C. – Newberry College women’s golfer Maria Besio jumped up nine spots individually with a third round stroke total of 71 to advance to a playoff featuring four golfers to determine the three individual qualifiers for the 2010 NCAA National Championship in Tuesday’s final round of the Super Region 2 tournament in Salisbury, N.C.

Besio (Buenos Aires, Argentina) registered three birdies in the final 18 holes at the par-71, 6,094-yard Country Club of Salisbury to finish the tournament with a three round combined stroke total of 226 (79-76-71; +13) and force a playoff.

Playing as an individual at the 2009 Super Regional in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla., Besio lost to Florida Tech’s Daniela Iacobelli in a four-hole playoff for the final individual bid to the national tournament.

The sophomore’s 54-hole score is just one stroke shy of the school record of 225, set by Besio on April 19-20 at the 2010 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Championships in Hendersonville, N.C.

Besio’s score put her in a tie for 7th along with Lizzi Over and Isadora Stapff from Barry University and Carley Warrington of Belmont Abbey College. The top six individual placements were occupied by team members from national tournament qualifiers Nova Southeastern University, Florida Southern College, and Rollins College.

Nova Southeastern won the tournament in impressive fashion with an even par team score of 284 in the final round. The Sharks shot an 890 (304-302-284; +38).

The top three teams along with the top three individuals not with a qualifying team advance to the national championship on May 12-15 at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, Ariz.

In a sudden death playoff, Besio birdied the second hole to punch a ticket to the national tournament. The sensational sophomore will be the first women's golfer in school history to represent Newberry at the NCAA National Championships. Carley Warrington and Isadora Stapff also qualified on the second playoff hole when Lizzi Over bogeyed.

As a team, No. 11 Newberry completed play in 8th place with a three-day total of 950 (330-314-306; +98). The scarlet and gray improved each round including a 16-stroke differential from the first to the second round.

Individually, Newberry’s four freshman gained valuable experience at the Super Regional. Josefine Mensner (Lorenskog, Norway) shot a 238 (82-79-77; +25) and tied for 30th while Barbara Castro (Coruna, Spain) finished the tournament in a tie for 38th with a 243 (85-80-78; +30).

Natalia Perez (Bogota, Colombia) churned out a 246 (84-80-82; +33) to place 44th and Lisa Brandl (Nuremberg, Germany) tied for 45th with a final stroke total of 247 (88-79-80; +34).
Joanna Coe of Rollins was the individual tournament winner with a three day combined stroke total of 212 (72-71-69; -1).

Newberry’s historic season comes to an end after failing to qualify for the national tournament in the program’s first ever trip to the NCAA Regional. The 2009-10 edition of the scarlet and gray set school and conference records during the season, grabbed six first place finishes as a team including at the SAC Championships, placed four on all-conference teams, featured the 2010 SAC Coach and Freshman of the Year, and five individual tournament victories.

NCAA Division II Super Regional
Salisbury, N.C.     Country Club of Salisbury
Par: 71     Yardage: 6,094

* - Indicates team that qualified for the NCAA Championships

Newberry Individuals (Final Results)

** Qualified for NCAA Championships in four player playoff