MAC Women’s Golfer of the Week
Caley McGinty, Kent State
Freshman, BRISTOL, ENGLAND
Freshman Caley McGinty led the No. 5 Kent State women’s golf team to its fifth tournament title of the season as the Flashes claimed the ICON Invitational. Kent State beat the No.1 ranked Texas. McGinty, who finished third overall with 211 (-5) score, opened the tournament with a 69 (-3) after going 17 holes for par or better with four birdies. The freshman shot her lowest round of the tournament in Tuesday's round with a 68 (-4). McGinty carded four birdies and had no holes over par in the final 18 holes en route to finish in third place. On the season, McGinty holds a 70.86 scoring average and has shot 10 rounds in the 60’s with 15 for par or better.
Other Nominees
Jacinta Pikunas, Akron
Sophomore, Youngstown, Ohio (Boardman High School)
Sophomore Jacinta Pikunas (Youngstown, Ohio) placed third overall at the Rio Verde Invitational while leading the Akron Zips women's golf team to a fifth-place finish 309-302-297 - 908 (+44) on Sunday. Pikunas fired a 2-over par 73-71-74 – 218 tournament total at the Rio Verde Country Club's White Wing Golf Course, a par-72 that stretches 6,242 yards. She opened the 54-hole event with a 1-over ledger on Friday. Saturday's 18-hole round was postponed due to rain, forcing the field to play 36-holes on Sunday. Pikunas opened the final day of competition with a 1-under par performance. She recorded three birdies with 13 pars and two bogeys to bring her 36-hole total to an even-par 144. In the second 18-hole round of the day, Pikunas posted four birdies with eight pars and six bogeys to finished the tournament with a 2-over ledger. She elevated four spots on the leaderboard for the third-place finish.
Jasmine Ly, Freshman
Windsor, Ontario, Canada (Holy Names High School)
In an 18 team field featuring 94 golfers, freshman Jasmine Ly posted her best finish of the year with a fourth-place showing at the Rio Verde Invitational. Ly shot rounds of 75-72-72 for a three-over par 219 to lead NIU to a second place team finish. The Huskies finished 11 strokes ahead of third place Xavier an defeated all 7 other MAC teams in the field. Ly's back-to-back 72s both came on the final day of the tournament after Saturday was rained out. They tied her personal bests as her lowest career collegiate 18-hole scores.
Catherine Loftus, Ohio
Sophomore, Roswell, Ga.
Sophomore Catherine Loftus led Ohio this weekend at the 2020 Rio Verde Collegiate Invitational, hosted by Western Michigan at the White Wing Golf Course in Rio Verde Invitational. Loftus finished tied for 28th place after shooting an opening round of 77 on Friday. After rain forced the final two rounds to be played on Sunday, Loftus finished with a 76 in round two and a 75 in round three, giving her a three-round total of 228 (+12).
Liz Kim, Ball State
Junior, Dublin, Ohio (Coffman)
Liz Kim recorded her second straight top-10 finish to open the spring season, tying for ninth at the Rio Verde Invitational. She led Ball State to a sixth-place team finish in an 18-team field and victories over five of the other seven MAC teams competing. Kim finished second in the field in par-5 scoring for the week at 2 under par.
Preaw Sripatrprasite , Eastern Michigan
Junior, Bangkok, Thailand-Siam International
A day way from the course proved beneficial for junior Preaw Sripatrprasite (Bangkok, Thailand-Siam International) at the Rio Verde Invitational, Feb. 23. The Bangkok, Thailand native closed with a 73 to finish in a tie for ninth-place with a 223 (74-76-73) after rain washed away Saturday's scheduled round. The finish is the fifth top-10 showing of her career and the first since the season-opener at the Cardinal Classic, Sept. 16-17, 2019.
