ILLINOIS WESLEYAN'S GAIL NELSON SETS CONFERENCE RECORD EN ROUTE TO INDIVIDUAL TITLE; TITANS WIN FIRST EVER CCIW TITLE

PONTIAC, Illinois - Gail Nelson of Illinois Wesleyan took one step up from a year ago and so did her Titan teammates at the seventh College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin women's golf tournament, which was held at the Pontiac Elks Club in Pontiac, Illinois on October 4-5. A year ago Nelson finished second behind Diane Imburgia of Millikin and the Titans fell seven shots shy of the Big Blue in the team race.

This time around Nelson turned the tables on Imburgia and in the process led her Illinois Wesleyan team to its first ever CCIW title. Nelson set a new league record as she toured the 36 holes in a score of 152 with rounds of 73 and 79, breaking the old mark of 159 set by Stephanie Feeney of Millikin in 2000. She was the only player in the field to break 80 on Friday and she held an eight stroke lead over Imburgia after the first day. Her 79 on Saturday was also the only round under 80 as she cruised to a 10 stroke victory over Imburgia, who shot 162 (81-81).

Illinois Wesleyan, under the direction of head coach Kathy Niepagen, turned in a two day score of 679, the second best team total in the history of this championship. The Titans trailed only the 673 recorded by Millikin in 2000. While Nelson was scorching the Pontiac Elks Club, her teammates were doing their share. Stephanie Morton shot 169 (84-85) and finished in a tie for fourth while Ashley Higginson had a 178 (94-84) and Paige Lewis recorded at 180 (91-89). Also playing for the Titans were Catherine Briggs, who shot a 188 (96-92) and Megan Teschner, who came in with an even 200 (100-100).

Wheaton used a sizzling second round of 344 to overcome a 13 stroke Millikin advantage to finish second with a two day total of 712. Millikin, the two time defending league champion, was third with 713 (355-358) and Carthage, which won four straight titles from 1996-99, placed fourth with a 716 (363-353). Augustana was fifth with 731 (366-365), North Central placed sixth at 755 (374-381) and Elmhurst took seventh with a 781 (405-376). North Park did not participate.

Imburgia was second with a 162 (81-81) and Sylvia Groth of Wheaton took third with a 168 (86-82). Laura Molnar of Wheaton (88-18), Louise Haller (86-83) of Carthage and Morton of IWU (84-85) tied for fourth with identical 169's. The Augustana duo of Josefin Holmberg and Megan Grevas placed seventh and eighth with Holmberg scoring 172 (85-87) and Grevas carding a 174 (87-87). Kaitlin Harp of Millikin took ninth with a 175 (87-88) and Karen Calabrese of North Central was 10th at 176 (85-91).

2002 CCIW WOMEN'S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

Pontiac Elks Club ** Pontiac, Illinois ** October 4-5, 2002

TEAM SCORES

INDIVIDUAL TOP 10