Nationals-bound Buffs
A roster featuring the Appalachian Athletic Conference player of the year, coach of the year and three All-Conference first team selections will represent No. 12 Milligan University at the 26th annual NAIA Women’s Golf National Championship next week. The event is set for Tuesday-Friday, May 25-28, at Rose Creek Golf Course in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
MILLIGAN, Tenn. (May 21, 2021) – A roster featuring the Appalachian Athletic Conference player of the year, coach of the year and three All-Conference first team selections will represent No. 12 Milligan University at the 26th annual NAIA Women's Golf National Championship next week. The event is set for Tuesday-Friday, May 25-28, at Rose Creek Golf Course in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Leading the way for the Buffs is Alayna Perryman, the AAC player of the year, who carded a 2 under par 71 to medal at the AAC NAIA Direct Qualifier last month. Michaela Lindahl and Meryl Castle, All-AAC honorees, along with Emma Brown, Jenny Simonsen and Gabby Hammond, round out Milligan's lineup.
The Buffaloes will make their fourth appearance at the national championship in the last five seasons after winning the direct qualifier for the fourth time in the last five seasons. The event saw the Buffs win by 29 strokes as a team and complete the sweep of the AAC fall and spring championships for the third time since 2015. They also won the AAC regular season by a landslide.
"We are obviously elated for the opportunity to compete at the national tourney next week," said Head Coach Tony Wallingford, the AAC coach of the year for the 10th time. "These girls have had a great year, and this is a fantastic reward for their efforts. While the girls never dropped below No. 14 nationally, we had to overcome some challenges during our spring season with illness an injury. During this time, we used multiple lineups, and in the end, it made us a better team."
Perryman held the lowest stroke average among all AAC golfers this season, firing rounds of 79-78 at the AAC fall championship and 77-71 at the spring championship. Lindahl (76-78-86-76) and Castle (80-82-81-83) finished third and fifth in the final rating for All-Conference awards.
"With everyone healthy and back in competition shape, I really believe we are playing our best golf right now," Wallingford concluded. "There is no pressure on us at the national tourney. Our goal, as always, is to prepare and simply play to our personal and team best."
Milligan is set to tee off Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. EDT, starting on hole No. 1.