The UW-Whitewater women’s golf team finished the season Sunday after a grueling three-day tournament at the Lake Arrowhead Golf Course in Nekoosa, Wisconsin.
Finishing fourth overall, the women ended the tournament with a score of 1,054, three strokes behind UW-Oshkosh, finishing behind UW-Eau Claire and overall champion UW-Stout.
“I don’t think that there’s any question that we’re more than disappointed with how things turned out,” head coach Brett Weber said. “I don’t think we were ever going to catch [UW] Stout. Their scoring all year was in the 320s, and I think we were in the 340s. We would’ve had to play really great to give them a run, but I think that second was a realistic opportunity for us.”
Senior Claudia Rhein, who was golfing the final tournament of her career, finished eighth of 52 total golfers and lead the ‘Hawks with a 252. Her eighth place finish guaranteed her a medal and a spot on the all-tournament team.
“I’m happy for Claudia,” Weber said. “Of all the ladies that we’ve had in the program over the last four years, she’s certainly been the most talented. She’s a great young lady and has a very outgoing and infectious personality.”
Other finishers for the ’Hawks included senior Sammie Leibham with a 259 and sophomore Stephanie Stair with a 256 finishing 14th and 12th respectively.
Senior Kate Winkler posted a three day total of 261 to finish in a tie for 15th.
“Kate Winkler played great,” Weber said. “From where she started, coming in the high 90’s and low 100’s, she made some changes and really committed to being better and being a leader. For her to shoot the score she did was impressive.”
The other golfer on the squad to win an award was senior Vivian Shoemaker. After golfing a three-day total of 282 and finishing tied for 27th, Shoemaker was named to the WIAC conference all sportsmanship team.
Coach Weber and the team is already will look to build on underclassmen for the next season.
“It’s just frustrating,” Weber said. “We want to win just like all the other programs, and we have to look to our sophomores now because we’re losing a lot of seniors.”
