Season Review: Women's Golf was poised to make run at OAC title in 2019-20

Season Review: Women's Golf was poised to make run at OAC title in 2019-20
June 4, 2020

By Tim Glon

ADA — The Ohio Northern women's golf team was poised to make a run for the Ohio Athletic Conference championship in 2019-20.

The Polar Bears were one of the favorites to win the OAC Tournament title before the OAC and the NCAA canceled the season on March 12 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Northern was 23-11-1 and had won the 36-hole OAC Fall Championships title under seventh-year head coach Chad Bucci when the season was cut short.

Junior Lydia Cranmer (Farmington Hills, Mich./Ladywood) won Medalist honors at the OAC Fall Championships led ONU in scoring on the season with a 79.8 stroke average while playing in all nine events.

Junior Annika Newman (Valley City/Avon) was second in scoring at 82.6, freshman Meghan Utterdyke (Franklin/Fenwick) was third at 87.7, freshman Torrie Smith (Russiaville, Ind./Western) was fourth at 88.1 and freshman Jessica Tubbs (Holland/Springfield) was fifth at 90.9.

"We were poised to challenge for the OAC title," ONU head coach Chad Bucci said. "Despite having four freshman in our top six, we were as talented as anyone in the league and that showed at the OAC Fall Championships. We were in a strong position."

The team's 338.4 average for its eight full rounds in the fall were on pace to break the single-season school record by 5.8 strokes.

Northern opened the season by winning its own ONU Fall Invitational, won the OAC Fall Championships and were second at the Lourdes Fall Invitational.

Ohio Northern also finished 3-1-1 in dual matches with wins over Otterbein, Capital and Muskingum with a tie with John Carroll and a loss to Trine (Ind.)

The OAC did not give out All-Conference awards due to the abbreviated season, but senior Taylor Daniel (Columbia City, Ind.) received Academic All-Conference accolades for the third consecutive year.

Daniel is also a two-time WGCA All-America Scholar.

Cranmer was named OAC Golfer of the Week on four separate occasions, winning the honor on Sept. 3, 24 and 30 and Oct. 15.

"I am saddened for the team and especially Taylor for not having spring golf," Bucci said. "I feel for Lydia and Annika - they don't have much time left to accomplish their goals. But I am really excited for what lies ahead in the coming years for this very young and talented team.