May 16, 2008

Rachael Schmidt (Jr./Elk River, Minn.) shot a 76 (+4) on the fourth and final day of the NCAA Division II Women's Golf Championships. The tournament was played at the Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston, Texas. Schmidt teed off on the back nine in one of the last groups today. Schmidt, who is playing in her third NCAA Division II Championship, moved up two more spots today. She began the day tied for 17th after a 76 on day one and a pair of 77's on days two and three put her fourteen strokes over par. Schmidt finished her third Championship in a tie for 15th place at eighteen over par after 72 holes.

Schmidt began today's round on the back nine for the third time in the Championships. Holes ten through eighteen gave her trouble on days one and two, but she was able to reign in a 38 to open round three and duplicated that number today in round four. Schmidt parred holes ten and eleven to open her day before bogeying number twelve. The junior did not let the extra stroke faze her as she sandwiched a par between birdies on the par-five thirteenth and the par-three fifteenth holes. Schmidt wrapped up her first nine holes with three straight bogeys to move to +2 on the day.

The Elk River-native got into trouble right away on the front nine as she took a double bogey on the par-five first and a bogey on the par-three second. After eleven holes, Schmidt stood at +5 on the day. After a par, Schmidt birdied the par-four fourth hole and followed it with a par on number five. Hole six caused some problems as she bogeyed it to return to five-over, but the NSIC Golfer of the Year finished in fine fashion. Schmidt played the final three holes at one-under par thanks to a birdie on the par-five eighth to end her final day with a 76 (+4).

The NCAA Championship was a four round event that crowned Rollins College (+29) the National Champion seven strokes ahead of Nova Southeastern University (+36). The Championship's medalist was Joanna Coe of Rollins who shot a four-day total of 287 (-1). Schmidt finished five strokes away from her second NCAA All-American honor as the top 10 was capped at +13 for the tournament.

While she finished in a tie for 15th at this year's Championships, Schmidt put together her best four rounds in her extensive Championships history this year. Her 76.5 stroke average bested her All-American average two years ago by over two strokes a round. She finished tied for 10th as a freshman in 2006 to earn All-American honors by compiling a 54-hole total of 236 (78.6 average). As a sophomore, Schmidt finished 32nd in 2007 with a 72-hole total of 317 (79.2 average). Schmidt and the Peacock women's golf team will be back in action again next year as they look to earn the first NCAA Championship team berth in the program's history.