CSUEB's Brown crowned NCAA Div. II West Region Co-Champ for Women's Golf
Linda Brown, pictured at the NCAA regional with Pioneers golf coach Alan Sue, will compete in the NCAA Division II National Championships in North Carolina May 14-17.
- May 2, 2014
Cal State East Bay junior Linda Brown is the co-champion of the 2014 NCAA Division II West Super-Regional after shooting 74 (+2) in the final round on May 7 at Walnut Creek Country Club. She is the first Pioneer golfer ever to qualify for the NCAA National Championships, finishing the tournament at 224 (+8).
The Pioneers placed fourth as a team, falling just seven strokes short of qualifying for nationals as a team. Nonetheless, it marks the best NCAA Division II postseason finish ever for the Pioneers. They shot 321 (+33) in the third round to finish the week at 954 (+90).
No. 5 Tarleton State (+55) claimed the team title. No. 9 Saint Edward's (+72) and No. 16 Dallas Baptist (+83) also finished in the top three to advance to nationals. The Pioneers were the ninth and final team to qualify for the regionals, and they surpassed all expectations with their fourth-place effort.
This is the fourth tournament victory of the spring for Brown, who was in second place at the start of the day. She closed strong, shooting even-par on the back nine and scoring a birdie on the 17th hole to hang onto a share of first place. The San Leandro native, who entered the week ranked No. 38 in the nation, finished in a tie with Tarleton State's Isabell Jimenez Perea, the nation's No. 1 golfer.
Brown's historic junior season will continue next week when she travels to Conover, North Carolina, for the four-round NCAA National Championships on May 14-17.
Senior Andrea Castellanos closed out her impressive career with a 16th place finish in the regional. She shot an 82 (+10) in the final round for a total score of 239 (+23).
Junior Arielle Swan-Smith finished in the middle of the 50-person field in a tie for 25th. She shot 80 (+8) on Wednesday, giving her a cumulative score of 244 (+28).
Senior Ysabel Cabreira bounced back in her third round with an 85 (+13) to finish tied for 44th place at 257 (+41). Sophomore Melissa Hosman rounded out East Bay's performance with an 87 (+15) on Wednesday and placed 43rd with a total of 256 (+40).