CORAL SPRINGS, Florida–The Women's Golf Coaches Association has announced the 2016-17 student-athlete and coaches awards for Division III Women's Collegiate Golf. All-American teams, All-Region teams, Golf Pride Regional Coaches of the Year and the recipient of the Kim Moore Spirit Award were recognized at the WGCA Division III Awards Banquet held in Houston, Texas. Winners of the PING WGCA Division III Player of the Year, WGCA Division III Freshman of the Year, and Division III Golf Pride WGCA National Coach of the Year awards will be announced soon after the NCAA Championships.
Wittenberg managed to land two members on the All-Great Lakes Region Team, and two on the WGCA All-American Squad. Jane Hopkinson-Wood and Macy Hubbard were both named All-Great Lakes Region on Wednesday night, but the dynamic-duo was not done there, as both Tigers were named All-American's for their stellar play in 2016-17.
Hopkinson-Wood was named a first-team All-American for her campaign that boasts an average round of 74.5, with two first-place finishes. Hopkinson-Wood dominated the Golfweek Division III Invitational in October, earning medalist honors and leading wire-to-wire at the event that drew the best of the best in Division III, as the Tigers also claimed first as a team. Earlier in 2016, Hopkinson-Wood claimed medalist honors Dan Quayle Collegiate Classic in September, an event that saw the Tigers finish second as a team.
Coming into the NCAA National Championship, Hopkinson-Wood's low round on the year was 70, as the junior carded a second-round 69, sending the Pennsylvania native to fourth individually on the leaderboard.
Hubbard was named a second-team All-American by the WCGA, as the senior standout has done nothing but win during her time in Springfield. Currently tied with Hopkinson-Wood on the individual leaderboard at the NCAA National Championship, Hubbard has guided the Tigers to a fourth place standing after two rounds at the Championship. The two-time NCAA National Medalist Runner-Up averaged 75.85 strokes a round in 2016-17, a campaign that has seen the Mason, Ohio native earn medalist honors at the NCAC Conference Tournament.
After two-rounds of the NCAA Championship, Wittenberg currently stands 11 strokes behind the leader, Rhodes College (601), and six strokes behind Williams and George Fox, who are tied for second place (606).
Wittenberg made the biggest move on day two, carding a tournament-low 298 for a 314-298=612 score and fourth place, after finishing in seventh the day prior.
After carding a second round score of 69, Hopkinson-Wood found herself tied for fourth place individually with fellow Tiger Hubbard, who carded a second round 71. Hopkinson-Wood and Hubbard sit +2 overall, with the individual leader at one-under after 36 holes.
The four-day, 72-hole event is being played on a par-72, 5,869-yard layout at Bay Oaks Country Club in Houston. Tee times for Thursday's third round start at 7:45 AM Central Time. The field will be cut to the low 15 teams and six individuals not on an advancing team for Friday's final round.
The Women's Golf Coaches Association, founded in 1983, is a non-profit organization representing women's collegiate golf coaches. The WGCA was formed to encourage the playing of college golf for women in correlation with a general objective of education and in accordance with the highest tradition of intercollegiate competition. Today, the WGCA represents over 600 coaches throughout the U.S. and is dedicated to educating, promoting and recognizing both its members and the student-athletes they represent.