Illinois Wesleyan 2005-06 Women's Golf Stories

Contact: Stew Salowitz (309) 556-3206

For More Stories, Check Out Women's Golf Archives

May 25
Senior Ashley Higginson has been chosen, for the second straight season, as the "Most Valuable Player" for the Illinois Wesleyan women's golf team. Higginson had a 26-round stroke average of 84.3 with four top five finishes. The Titans, who won their fourth straight conference championship, finished sixth in the 2006 NCAA Division III women's golf championships and sophomore Taylor Paskell finished seventh (the lowest ever for an IWU national competitor). Go here for full story on letterwinners.

May 12
The Illinois Wesleyan women's golf team finished sixth in the 2006 NCAA Division III women's golf championships, held May 9-12 at the Mission Inn Golf Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla. The Titans finished with a team score of 1369 and finished sixth for the second time in the tourney's history - IWU was sixth in 2000, eighth in 2005 and 10th in 2002. Sophomore Taylor Paskell finished seventh (the lowest ever for an IWU national competitor) with a four-day 317 total. Methodist (N.C.) won the team title for the ninth straight year with a 1240 total and Charlotte Williams of Methodist won the individual title with a 308 total. Go here for complete results.

May 10
The National Golf Coaches Association announced the 2005-06 student-athlete and coaches awards for Division III women's collegiate golf at the NGCA awards banquet in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla. IWU's Kathy Niepagen is the Region III "Coach of the Year" wnile Ashley Higginson, Alison Mayer, Taylor Paskell, and Megan Teschner were named to the 10 player all-region team.

May 2
For the fourth time overall and the second straight year, the Illinois Wesleyan women's golf team has been chosen as one of 10 teams in the NCAA Division III national tourney. The championships will be May 9-12 at the Mission Inn Golf Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla. Representing the Titans will be seniors Ashley Higginson and Megan teschner, junior Alison Mayer and sophomores Kristi Katz and Taylor Paskell, whose 82.7 scoring average is the best on the IWU team. IWU finished eighth last spring, sixth in 2000 and 10th in the 2002 national meet.

April 24
Current reports available (all in .pdf versions) from www.golfstat.com. Click here for season-to-date update, here for statistics, and here for IWU standings in the national Division III ratings.

April 21-22
The Illinois Wesleyan women's golf team placed four players in the top 10 and cruised to the team title in the Hickory Point Open, played at Forsyth, Ill., April 21-22. The Titans' team score for two days was 666, easily topping second place Rend Lake's 685. Ashley Higginson was second with a 163 score, while Megan Teschner (167, 6th place), Taylor Paskell (168, 7th), and Andrea Johanns (170, 8th) all finished in the top 10 for individuals.

April 14-15
Competing as the only Division III team in the 16 team field, the Illinois Wesleyan women's golf team finished 14th at the Illini Spring Classic in Urbana, Ill., April 14-15. IWU had a two-day total of 675 (341-334). Megan Teschner was the Titans' low scorer, carding a two-day total of 161 (80-81) on the par 72 course, good for a tie for 40th place. Ashley Higginson finished in 74th with a 171 total.

April 9
The Illinois Wesleyan women's golf teams finished tied for fifth and in ninth place at the IWU Spring Fling, held April 8-9 at Normal's Ironwood Golf Course. Kristi Katz (shown) from the IWU "B" team led the Titans with a two-day total of 166 (85-81), good for a tie for 13th. Taylor Paskell tied for 15th with a 167 total (86-81) as the Titan "A" team finished with a 679 two-day total and the Titan "B" total was 715. DePauw won the team title with a 634 score and DePauw's Sarah Gates won a playoff over Lindenwood's Jana Mosesson after they finished with 153 scores in a tie for first.

March 24-26
The Illinois Wesleyan University women’s golf team finished 10th of 21 teams at the Jekyll Island (Ga.) Invitational, held March 24-26 at Indian Mound Golf Course. IWU’s low scorer was Ashley Higginson, who had a three-day total of 256 to finish in a tie for 25th. Megan Teschner finished 33rd with a score of 260. IWU’s team score was 1042 and the champion, Berry (Ga.), had an 867 total.

October 7-8
The Illinois Wesleyan University women's golf team has won its fourth straight College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championship, posting a two-day team score of 672 at Pontiac Elks Club Oct. 7-8. Carthage finished second with a 713 total. Andrea Johanns was the tournament medalist with a score of 165 including an 81 on the second day. Megan Teschner was second with a 170 total and Alison Mayer tied for fourth with a two-day 172 score. The Titans tied Carthage for the most team titles since the CCIW began sponsoring a women's golf championship in 1996. IWU head coach Kathy Niepagen was a repeat choice for CCIW "Coach of the Year."
October 1
The Illinois Wesleyan women's golf team had a score of 337 to best Augustana (354) and Millikin (378) in a triangular at Pontiac Elks Golf Course on Sat., Oct. 1. IWU's Taylor Paskell was the medalist with a 10-over par 82 while Andrea Johanns fired an 84 to finish second. The Titans look for their fourth consecutive College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championship at the Pontiac Elks Club next weekend.
September 24-25
The Illinois Wesleyan women's golf team fired a team total of 320 on the final day to finish with a two-day score of 642 and claimed the title of the UW-Whitewater Invitational, held at the Prairie Woods Golf Course in Whitewater, Wis. on Sept. 24-25. UW-Oshkosh, in first place after day one, placed second with 652. The Titans’ Taylor Paskell finished fifth with her two-day score of 159 while teammates Alison Mayer and Ashley Higginson tied for seventh with scores of 161. Higginson had a final round 77 on the par 72, 5824 yard layout. Seventeen teams and 98 players are competed in the two-day event.
September 23
The Illinois Wesleyan University women’s golf team had a 340 team score and finished third of 12 teams in the one-day Carthage Invitational, held at Brighton Dale Links Golf Course in Kansasville, Wis., on Fri., Sept. 23. IWU’s Megan Teschner carded a 12-over par 84 on the par 72, 5988 yard course and finished 10th. Ashley Higginson and Allison Mayer tied for 11th with scores of 85. Wisconsin-Oshkosh won the event with a 326 and Wisconsin-Eau Claire was second at 339.
September 17-18
The Illinois Wesleyan women’s golf team staged a furious comeback but fell eight strokes short and finished second in the IWU Fall Classic, held at Normal’s Ironwood Golf Course Sept. 17-18. The Titans finished with a team total of 609, behind only DePauw at 601. Alison Mayer finished in a sixth-place tie with a two-day total of 149. Ashley Higginson was tied for 11th at 152 and Taylor Paskell fired a 72 on the final day to finish 13th with a score of 153. Franklin’s Katie Tewell shot a 5-under 67 on Sunday to claim medalist honors with a 137 total. A total of 24 teams and 138 players competed.
September 9
Illinois Wesleyan placed seven golfers among the top 14 in winning the one-day Knox Invitational at Soangataha Golf Course in Galesburg on Fri., Sept. 9. The Titans’ team score was 321, besting second place Wisconsin-Eau Claire at 328. Taylor Paskell carded a 77 to finish third while Ashley Higginson (T5, 79), Alison Mayer (T7, 82), Andrea Johanns (9, 83), and Kristi Katz, Megan Teschner and Nicole Spear (all T10 with scores of 84) were the IWU top 14 finishers.
September 3-4
The Illinois Wesleyan women's golf team finished third in the two-day University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Invitational, held on Sept. 3-4 at the Mill Run Golf Course (first day) and Wild Ridge Golf Course (second day). The Titans finished with a team score of 672, trailing the winning team U. of St. Thomas (648) and Gustavus Adolphus (650). IWU's “B” team finished 12th with a total of 724 but Alison Mayer, playing for IWU “B”, was the Titans' low finisher with a score of 162  (77-85), good for a sixth place tie. Kristi Katz also finished in the top 10, tying for ninth with a score of 163 (78-85). Maggie Loney of Eau Claire was the individual medalist with a score of 153 (76-77). IWU led the event after the first day of competition.
September 1
Megan Teschner and Andrea Johanns both fired scores of 77 to tie for second individually as the Illinois Wesleyan women's golf team opened its 2005 fall season with a 12-stroke team win in the Augustana Fall Classic, played at the Emeis Golf Club in Davenport, Iowa. Taylor Paskell shot an 80, Kristi Katz posted an 81 and Alison Mayer shot 84 to give IWU a total of 315. Illinois College was in second with a team 327. IWU's Ashley Higginson carded an 81 for the IWU "B" team, which finished eighth in the 13 team tournament.
September
The Illinois Wesleyan women's golf team opens its 2005 fall season on Sept. 1 in the Augustana Invitational, played at the Emeis Golf Club in Davenport, Iowa. In May, the Titans finished eighth in the national 2005 NCAA Division III tournament as Taylor Paskell finished in 17th place and Alison Mayer tied for 26th. IWU looks to win its fourth straight the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championship this fall and Paskell was the medalist in the 2004 CCIW meet.

August 18
The Illinois Wesleyan 2004-05 women’s golf team had the eighth best collective grade-point average in the nation, according to the National Golf Coaches Association in announcing their All-Scholar teams on August 18. The IWU team has a GPA of 3.561 and was the best of all Division III schools. The overall leader was the University of South Carolina at 3.752.

August 10
Illinois Wesleyan senior women’s golfer Megan Teschner recorded holes in one on consecutive days during her July vacation in Arizona. They were the first aces of Teschner's career and came on two courses she had never played before. On July 27, playing with college teammate Taylor Paskell, Teschner used a 5-iron to ace the 11th hole at the Arizona Biltmore. The next day, Teschner used her 5-iron again to score a one on the 12th hole at Superstition Mountain Prospector Course.

July 11
Five Illinois Wesleyan women’s golfers are among 60 Division III student-athletes to be selected to the National Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar Team. The golfers, with academic majors, are sophomore Taylor Paskell, psychology; sophomore Kristi Katz, political science/English; junior Andrea Johanns, accounting; junior Alison Mayer, history/secondary education; and senior Megan Teschner, mathematics secondary education. A total of 122 women’s collegiate golfers from NCAA Divisions II and III were recognized with the honor. The criteria requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 and student-athletes must have competed in at least two-thirds of the college’s regularly scheduled competitive rounds during the year.