STOCKTON, Calif. – Led by an career-low even-par round from sophomore Dani Bailey, the Western Washington University women's golf team got off to a great start in the first round of the NCAA Division II West Regional Championships at Brookside Country Club.

 

The back-to-back GNAC champion Vikings carded a first-round team score of 16-over-par 304 to sit in a tie for 9th place in the 12-team tournament. WWU's first-round score is the second-lowest team round of the season trailing only a 303 in the first round of the 2021-22 season at the Saint Martin's Invitational. The Vikings are making their 12th appearance in the NCAA II Championships.

 

"Today was a solid start to the regional. I felt like the ladies managed the windy conditions very well," said WWU Director of Golf and GNAC Coach of the Year Luke Bennett. "I would love to see us a little more confident on the greens but we're in a good position after day one."

 

Bailey, who finished runner-up at the GNAC Championships, continued her solid postseason play with her career-best round as a Viking. The New Zealand product carded three birdies and a pair of eagles in her first round. Starting on the 10th tee, Bailey was 6-over-par through her first eight holes, but caught fire to finish her final 10 holes in 6-under-par, including a 4-under-par 32 on the front nine on the par 72, 6,287-yard layout. Bailey is tied for 6th place in the 66-player field.

 

"Dani's round was fantastic…and her back nine and final 10 holes were just exceptional," said Bennett.

 

GNAC co-Player of the Year Megan Billeter is tied for 31st place after turning in a solid 4-over-par 76 and GNAC Championships medalist Elise Sumner is tied for 40th at 5-over-par 77.

 

Texas A&M International (Laredo, TX) holds a four-stroke lead through the first 18 holes of the 54-hole, three-round tournament at 1-over-par 289. Texas A&M Commerce is in 2nd place at 5-over-par 293 and Dallas Baptist is in 3rd at 6-over-par 294.

 

Sahara Washington holds the individual lead following her first-round 6-under-par 66, one stroke in front of Anahi Servin of Academy of Art at 5-under-par 67.

 

Tuesday's second round begins with tee times at 8 am, with the Vikings again starting on the back nine and paired with Cal State Monterey Bay and St. Mary's (TX).

 

The top five teams in the east, south and west regions, and the top three in the central, along with the top two individuals from each region not on these teams will move on to the national championship finals May 10-14 at Chattahoochee Golf Club in Gainesville, Georgia.

 

Here is a look at WWU's individual results and the team leaderboard following the first round of the 2022 NCAA Division II West Regional Championships at Brookside Country Club in Stockton, California. The three-round tournament is being co-hosted by Visit Stockton and the CCAA.

 

Here is a look at the complete 2021-22 schedule for the WWU Women's Golf program, which included four fall and four spring tournaments leading up to the NCAA II West Regional. All tournament recaps, season statistics and program history can be found on WWUVikings.com/WGolf.

 

 

The WWU women's golf team is in its 29th season as an intercollegiate sport in 2021-22. WWU has a rich history on the links, winning the first five GNAC Championships beginning in 2011 and returned to the podium with back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022. WWU will be making its 12th appearance in the NCAA II West Regional Championships in 2022 after earning the GNAC's automatic bid. WWU has also made six trips to the NCAA II National Championships. A Viking has been named the GNAC Player of the Year in nine of the 11 years it has been awarded, including 2020-21 Player of the Year Elise Sumner and 2021-22 award winner Megan Billeter. WWU has also produced the only two players in GNAC history to earn four First Team All-GNAC awards (Jenn Paul and Kristen Hansen) and has had nine All-Americans.