Women's Golf Climb to No. 16 in Second-to-last Top 25 Rankings

LEBANON, Tenn. - - The Cumberland women's golf team jumped one spot in the NAIA Top 25 Coaches Poll after a strong showing at the Music City Classic, now sitting at No. 16.

The Phoenix totaled 910 strokes to beat out conference opponent Lindsey Wilson by a single stroke. Cumberland also finished above two more opponents ranked higher than them in the previous poll, helping to set themselves up with a chance to continue to climb the rankings.

Matilda Lind was the true star of the tournament as she powered through a field with 18 teams ranked inside of the Top 50 rankings from Scoreboard, finishing in the All-Tournament team.

Individually, Lind was excellent, shooting a 218 over her three rounds with a low of 71 in the second round. The Swede led all Mid-South competitors by at least four strokes, landing as the only MSC golfer inside of the top ten, while also tying for second place in total birdies with ten.

The Phoenix will take part in the Mid-South Conference tournament, set to tee off Monday morning in Bowling Green for their first two rounds of play.

Dalton State (Ga.) claimed 11 first-place votes to take over the top position, closing the regular season by tying for first place with No. 4 SCAD Savannah (Ga.) and No. 7 William Carey (Miss.), and led by Jia Kataria, the Roadrunners got their postseason going with a 53-stroke win earlier this week in the Southern States Athletic Conference Women's Golf Championship. Kataria matched teammate Sara Burger with a first-round 70 and then pulled away for individual medalist honors, finishing 7-under to claim a win.

No. 3 Marian (Ind.) was a factor in bumping No. 2 Keiser (Fla.), upsetting the previously top-ranked Seahawks at the Music City Classic. Keiser still picked up five first-place votes to claim No. 2, 24 points ahead of Marian, as the Knights edged SCAD Savannah by two points despite the Bees picking up the 17th first-place vote in the rating. SCAD Savannah did manage to move British Columbia, switching places at No. 4 and No. 5 with the defending national champions.

The remainder of the top 10 stayed the same, although Cumberlands (Ky.) did split a previous tie at No. 10 with Embry-Riddle (Ariz.), now No. 11. There was one new face to the top 25, as Milligan (Tenn.) replaced Lawrence Tech (Mich.) at No. 25.

Today's rating was the second-to-last, this season, with the final rating scheduled for May 8, when the NAIA announces the field for the 31st-Annual Women's Golf National Championship, May 19-22 at Eagle Crest Golf Club in Ypsilanti, Mich.

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Players Mentioned

Matilda Lind: 5' 5"; Junior

Players Mentioned

Matilda Lind
: 5' 5"; Junior