IU earns 18th in Regionals

As thousands of IU students said goodbye to Bloomington this weekend, women’s golf coach Clint Wallman joined in the farewell festivities with two of his own seniors.

Kellye Belcher and Laura Nochta wrapped up their four-year careers Saturday when IU finished 18th at the NCAA Central Regional at Otter Creek Golf Course in Columbus, Ind.

The Hoosiers finished 31 shots out of eighth place, which is the cutoff for teams advancing to the NCAA Championships from May 18 to 21.

Conditions at Otter Creek Golf Course were difficult all week and contributed to the Hoosiers shooting three of their four worst rounds of the season.

“I think it was a challenging golf course with challenging conditions,” Wallman said.  “We didn’t necessarily play well, and when you get on a U.S. Open-type level course, you’re not going to make up strokes.”

Belcher and freshman Jacqueline Yanch led IU individually during the event, both shooting a three-round total of 240 and finishing tied in 56th place.

Nochta was the next Hoosier in 76th place with a three-day total of 245.Two shots higher than Nochta was freshman Pamela Burneski, whose final-round 78 was the low round of the day for the Hoosiers.

Freshman Kate Coons ended her NCAA Tournament in 102nd place with a 256 total.
Despite never threatening for one of the eight National Championship bids, IU did exceed expectations on paper. The Hoosiers were seeded No. 20 in the Central Regional but finished the week in 18th place.

Even though the Hoosiers’ 2009-10 season is officially over, Wallman looked at the positives of having three freshmen in the lineup during the NCAA Regional.

Utilizing freshman throughout the season should pay off next season for the Hoosiers.

“I think Laura and Kellye have handed off the program into very capable hands,” Wallman said. “I think all three freshmen gained valuable experience in how to compete at a championship level. Come next fall, we are going to have much more experienced players ready to go.”

For Wallman, the finish was especially difficult as he watched his two seniors play their final rounds of their career.

In 10 of the 12 events this season, Nochta has been the top finisher for the Hoosiers. She also received All-Big Ten Second Team honors for the second straight season. Belcher and Nochta were the only two Hoosiers who had regional experience prior to this weekend’s tournament.

“I think they did a fantastic job of managing themselves under the conditions,” Wallman said. “They provided leadership and stability as they have done through their careers. It has been a great privilege to have them as seniors on this team.”