Springfield, Ohio – The achievement of three members of the Wittenberg University women’s golf team were recently celebrated with first-team All-Great Lakes Region honors from the Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA). In addition, freshman Jane Hopkinson-Wood (Pottstown, Pa./The Hill School) became the Tigers’ first-ever women’s golf All-American as she earned a spot on the first team. 

Senior Nicole Waers (Canton, Ohio/Perry), sophomore Macy Hubbard (Mason, Ohio/Mason) and Hopkinson-Wood all claimed all-region honors for their regular season performances. It was the first regional recognition for any of the three student-athletes. 

The man leading the team was also recognized as Head Coach Jeff Roope earned Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year for the second time in his eight years at Wittenberg. He also has picked up back-to-back North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Coach of the Year awards, in addition to five league Coach of the Year awards on the men’s side. 

The three Tiger student-athletes and Roope received their All-Great Lakes Region, All-America and Coach of the Year certificates at a banquet hosted by the WGCA on Wednesday, May 13, at the Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla., the site of the 2015 NCAA Division III Tournament. 

“These awards are a great tribute to the dedication of these young women, and I couldn’t be more proud of them,” Roope said. “After going undefeated against Great Lakes Region competition this season, these awards are very much deserved.” 

Hopkinson-Wood led the Tigers with a sparkling stroke average of 76.91 during the regular season, far and away the best in the program’s 12-year history and among the best nationally heading into the NCAA Division III Tournament. The NCAC Player of the Year, Hopkinson-Wood won four tournaments, placed in the top five in five others and never finished out of the top 10 in any of the Tigers’ 11 competitions during the 2014-15 season. 

One of the few players all year to finish ahead of Hopkinson-Wood in a tournament was Hubbard, who caught fire at just the right time, peaking in the four-round NCAC Championship Series to capture medalist honors by a whopping 13 strokes. Hubbard ranked third on the team with an 80.14 stroke average as she posted eight top-10 finishes in 11 tournaments during the regular season. 

Waers turned in her finest collegiate season in 2014-15, finishing with the second-best stroke average on the team (79.45). Waers won one tournament and posted a total of eight top-10 finishes during the regular season. She finished her career with two first-team All-NCAC finishes and a second-team All-NCAC performance in 2013. 

The team’s victory in the NCAC Championship Series earned the Tigers their first-ever berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament. Wittenberg finished first in eight of its 11 regular season tournaments in the 2014-15 season, including wins in three straight competitions to close the campaign. The last two tournament victories combined to give the Tigers the NCAC Championship Series title by a stunning 71 strokes over runner-up DePauw.

Written By: Ryan Maurer