Maria Ronderos Qualifies for NCAA Regionals
April 26, 2011
INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Committee announced over the weekend that Maria Ronderos has been selected to participate as an individual in the 2011 NCAA Division I Women’s Golf East Regional in Daytona Beach, Fla. Ronderos becomes the first Hurricane to qualify as an individual for regionals since Tina Miller in 2003.
The East regional will take place from May 5-7 at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, hosted by Stetson University and the Central Florida Sports Commission.
The committee, through automatic bids and at-large selections, placed 72 teams along with 18 individuals in the regional tournaments. The top eight teams, in addition to the top two individuals from each region will qualify for the NCAA Championships at Traditions Club in Bryan, Texas from May 18-21. Other regional sites include Notre Dame, Ind. (Central) and Auburn, Wash. (West).
Ronderos continues a spectacular year in which she shot the fourth lowest stroke average (74.00) in school history, placing in the top-10 in seven tournaments. Her season was highlighted by a round of 67, tied for second-lowest in school history, at the Eagle Landing Invitational in Jacksonville where she finished in a season-best third place.
“We are thrilled for Maria and are very proud of her accomplishments,” said head coach Patti Rizzo. “She is an amazing kid who we believe will do very well at regionals.”
The senior led the team to a tournament victory at the Edwin Watts/Kiawah Island Classic in South Carolina in February. Ronderos finished in a tie for fifth place and was named to the All-Tournament team.
The Colombia native proved to be durable once again, starting all 10 tournaments in 2010-11, making it 39 consecutive events she has played in since stepping on campus as a freshman.
The following teams will compete in the East regional ordered by seed: Alabama, Purdue, California, Arizona State, Auburn, Michigan State, North Carolina, Vanderbilt, Florida, Florida State, Colorado, TCU, Louisville, Mississippi, Texas Tech, FIU, Coastal Carolina, Augusta State, Yale, Kentucky, Stetson, North Carolina-Wilmington, Fairleigh Dickinson and Alabama State.
The following players will compete as individuals: Shena Yang (South Florida), Charlotte Lorentzen (Georgia State), Stefanie Kenoyer (Furman), Kelly Shon (Princeton), Maria Ronderos (Miami) and Leigh Whittaker (College of Charleston).
