Duke Remains Top Team
NEW YORK, NY—The second Golf World/NGCA Division I Coaches’ Poll of the fall season has been released, combining the resources of Golf World magazine and the National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA). The complete results, including results from Divisions II and III will appear in the October 5 issue of Golf World and can be viewed online now at www.golfworld.com.
Duke remains in the number one spot, earning 16 of 27 first-place votes. After finishing third at the Mason Rudolph Women’s Invitational (Sept. 14-16), the Blue Devils won last week’s Margaret Branch NCAA Preview at the University of New Mexico Championship Course in Albuquerque (site of the 2008 NCAA Championship). Leading the way for the three-time defending NCAA champions is junior Amanda Blumenherst, who has broken par in five of her first six rounds and has a win and a second-place finish individually.
UCLA has moved into the second spot after winning the Mason Rudolph Women’s Invitational to start the season. The Bruins received 10 first-place votes. Rounding out the top-five are Arizona State (No. 3), Southern California (No. 4) and Auburn (No. 5).
New to the top-10 are Oklahoma State (No. 6), Arizona (No. 7) and Florida (No. 8), ranked Nos. 11, 13 and 15, respectively, in the previous coaches’ poll. The Cowgirls finished fourth at the Mason Rudolph and tied for tenth at the NCAA Preview. The Wildcats tied for sixth in both events. The Gators placed fifth at the Mason Rudolph and second at the UK Wildcat Fall Invitational.
New to the top-25 are Notre Dame (No. 17), Alabama (No. 19), California (No. 22), Kent State (No. 24) and Texas (No. 25). The Fighting Irish have won their first three tournaments of the 2007-08 season, while the Crimson Tide just took the team title at the UK Wildcat Fall Invitational. Cal won the Ptarmigan/Ram Fall Classic; Kent State won the Lady Northern Invitational; and Texas finished third at the Cougar Fall Classic—their best finish in more than two years.
Visit Golf World Senior Writer Ryan Herrington’s "Campus Insider" blog to find out the latest on collegiate golf: http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/blogs/campusinsider.
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GOLF WORLD/NGCA GOLF COACHES’ POLL
Women’s Division I
RANK TEAM POINTS LAST
1. Duke (16) 660 1
2. UCLA (10) 647 3
3. Arizona State (1) 614 2
4. Southern California 601 4
5. Auburn 540 5
6. Oklahoma State 502 11
7. Arizona 455 13
8. Florida 439 15
9. Purdue 430 7
10. Georgia 415 8
11. Pepperdine 365 6
12. Vanderbilt 362 10
13. Wake Forest 344 14
14. Tennessee 333 12
15. Stanford 278 9
16. Denver 197 18
17. Notre Dame 196 NR
18. New Mexico 172 22
19. Alabama 161 NR
20. BYU 140 16
21. Michigan State 116 19
22. California 111 NR
23. North Carolina 85 17
24. Kent State 78 NR
25. Texas 71 NR
Also receiving votes: Louisville, 69; LSU, 62; TCU, 54; Virginia, 52; Arkansas, 39; Oklahoma, 39; South Carolina, 37; Washington State, 22; Kentucky, 20; Texas A&M, 18; Florida State, 13; UNLV, 11; Arkansas State, 4; Indiana, 4; SMU, 4; UC Irvine, 3; Colorado, 3; Baylor, 2; Idaho, 2; Iowa State, 2; Ohio State, 2; Central Florida, 1.
Contact:
Meg D’Incecco, 212-630-2491
meg.d’incecco@golfworld.com
Bret Hopman, 212-630-2490
bret.hopman@golfworld.com
