Freshman Grace Honigford wins Medalist honors, Women's Golf wins OAC Championships title in record-setting fashion
By Tim Glon
WEST LAFAYETTE — Freshman Grace Honigford (West Chester/Lakota East) won Medalist honors, leading the Ohio Northern women's golf team to the team title in dominating record-setting fashion at the 2021 Ohio Athletic Conference Championships on Friday-Sunday at River Greens Golf Course.
The Polar Bears (33-3 overall) entered Sunday's final round with a 16-stroke lead over second-place Otterbein. Northern would leave no doubt and pulled away throughout the day, winning by 36 strokes with a school and OAC Tournament record 990 for 54 holes.
Northern's final round 322 ties the OAC Tournament 18-hole team record.
With the victory, Ohio Northern qualifies for the NCAA Division III Championships on May 11-14 at Forest Akers Golf Course in East Lansing, Mich. It will be ONU's second appearance as a team at the NCAA Championships and its first since 2007.
Honigford led wire-to-wire to win Medalist honors, carding a 54-hole school record 81-76-77—234.
She beat the previous school record of 245 by 11 strokes and finished 12 strokes clear of the field.
Individually, all five ONU golfers earned All-Conference honors by finishing in the top 14 in the 42-woman field.
Senior Annika Neumann (Valley City/Avon) was second with an impressive 84-84-78—246, sophomore Torrie Smith (Russiaville, Ind./Western) was fifth with an 82-91-81—254, senior Lydia Cranmer (Farmington Hills, Mich./Ladywood) was sixth with an 82-88-86—256 sixth and sophomore Meghan Utterdyke (Lebanon/Fenwick) finished 11th with a 90-91-88—269.
Neumann, Smith and Utterdyke all had career low 54-hole totals and Cranmer was just off of her previous school record 245.
Otterbein finished second with a 1025, Baldwin Wallace was third with a 1099 and Muskingum was fourth with a 1111.
Ohio Northern head coach Chad Bucci is believed to be the only coach in OAC history to to lead two different schools to the league title, as he guided Otterbein to the 2013 OAC crown.
Team Standings
1. Ohio Northern 329-339-322—990, 2. Otterbein 346-338-342—1026, 3. Baldwin Wallace 361-367-371—1099, 4. Muskingum 363-385-363—1111, 5. Capital 378-383-382—1143, 6. Mount Union 397-384-369—1150, 7. John Carroll 389-385-393—1167, 8. Marietta 410-379-380—1169.
Top 14 Individuals (Top 14 after 54 holes earn All-OAC honors)
1. Grace Honigford (ONU) 81-76-77—234, 2. Annika Neumann (ONU) 84-84-78—246, 3. Lyndsay Blum (Ott) 84-84-80—248, 4. Rachel Hatley (Ott) 87-79-86—252, 5. Torrie Smith (ONU) 82-91-81—254, 6. Lydia Cranmer (ONU) 82-88-86—256, 7. Anna Schatschneider (BW) 85-89-87—261, 8. Emma McGreal (Ott) 86-88-90—264, 9. Viv George (Ott) 89-88-88—265, 10. Alyssa Shawger (Mar) 96-79-91—266, 11. Meghan Utterdyke (ONU) 90-91-88—269, 12. Meg Thomas (Ott) 96-87-88—271, 13. Erika Marano (Musk) 86-97-89—272, t14. Sarah Brown (JCU) 90-89-96—275, t14. Morgan Mullaly (Musk) 93-89-93—275.
Ohio Northern Individual Results
1. Grace Honigford 81-76-77—234, 2. Annika Neumann 84-84-78—246, 5. Torrie Smith 82-91-81—254, 6. Lydia Cranmer 82-88-86—256, 11. Meghan Utterdyke 90-91-88—269.