2021 Women's Golf Year-in-Review
PHOENIX ---
The South Mountain Community College women's golf team had two student-athletes qualify for the 2021 NJCAA Championships and displayed consistent improvement throughout the 2021 campaign, setting the stage for excellence in the upcoming years. Led by second-year head coach Chelsea Carroll, sophomore Miriam Verdugo and freshman Jenna Lee earned All-ACCAC honors and competed in the National Championships in Florida. Additionally, freshmen Emma Fisher and Gracie Henderson and sophomore Victoria Negrete represented SMCC admirably on the links.
The Cougars produced their best performance at the Coyote Lady Classic on April 17-18 at Las Colinas Golf Course, posting a third-place finish after recording a 46-shot improvement in their second round. Verdugo finished a team-best 11th, and Fisher (15 strokes) and Lee (five strokes) moved up the leaderboard after shaving multiple strokes off their first-round score. The Cougars posted a season-best 377 in the second round and finished at 232-over, 800.
At the 2021 NJCAA National Championships at Plantation Bay Beach and Country Club in Ormond Beach, Fla., on May 10-12, Verdugo finished at 103-over, 319 while Lee posted a 108-over, 324 in three rounds at the tournament. Verdugo also posted rounds of 103 and 114, respectively, and Lee started with a 115 and closed with a 107.
Over the seven 2021 spring tournaments, Verdugo posted a season-best score of 177 over two rounds at the Coyote Lady Classic. In addition, she placed eighth at the Estrella Mountain Women's Invitational April 2-3 at Sundance Golf Course in Avondale, Ariz.
Lee opened the spring with a ninth-place finish at the Mesa CC Invitational February 15-16 at Dobson Ranch Golf Course. She finished at 191 over the two rounds at that event and at the Coyote Lady Classic, where she tied for 13th. She also led the Cougars at their home tournament at Aguila Golf Course in Laveen Village, Ariz., on February 27-28.
Verdugo placed 10th at the Cougars' final regular-season event, carding a 45-over 189, while Lee tied for 12th with a 52-over 196. Both earned Second Team All-ACCAC honors for their play in the spring 2021 season, and Verdugo received a Second Team All-Region I award.
Fisher had a solid debut season for the Cougars and competed in seven tournaments. Her best two-round score of the year came at the Coyote Lady Classic, where she finished at 49-over, 191 to tie for 13th. Then, she tied for 12th at the Estrella Mountain Invitational with a two-day score of 62-over, 206.
Negrete returned for her second year on the squad and played in six events this spring. Her best two-round performance came at the Pima CC invitational at Randolph North Golf Course on Mar 29-30. She also placed 17th at the ACCAC Invitational at Apache Creek Golf Course on Mar. 11-12 with a 76-over, 218.
Henderson joined the team after initially coming to SMCC to play volleyball. However, when the coronavirus forced the cancelation of the Cougars' volleyball season, she joined the women's golf team and competed in six events. Her best two-round score came at the South Mountain Classic when she carded a 73-over, 217 to tie for 19th.