WALNUT CREEK, Calif. ?- Arizona junior golfer Cassandra Kirkland was selected to the All Pac-10 second team by conference officials Wednesday. Meanwhile, senior Mar Garcia and junior Lani Elston were honorable mention selections.
“I feel like the Pac-10 Conference is the best conference in the country, and to have three of our five starters earn all-conference honors is very rewarding,” fifth-year Head Coach Greg Allen said.
Kirkland helped Arizona to a fourth-place finish at the 2005 Pac-10 Championships, held earlier this week at Ruby Hills Golf Course in Pleasanton, Calif. She finished tied for third-place overall, carding a 5-under-par 211 during the three-day event.
The junior from Saint-Nom-La-Breteche, France, shot a career-low round of 67 twice this year, helping her finish in the Top 10. Kirkland also shot a record-setting 54-hole 207 (-3) at the Stanford-Pepsi Invitational.
“Cassandra played well enough down the stretch to deserve making the first team, but unfortunately she had to settle for second team,” Allen said. “She was honorable mention last year and second team this year shows that she is improving every year and headed in the right direction. She is really motivated to keep getting better and to lead this team to a great finish in the postseason.”
Kirkland’s inclusion on the All Pac-10 Team marks the 19th-straight year an Arizona women’s golfer has received the honor.
Elston averaged a 75.00 stroke average in her second year as a Wildcat. In her best tournament this season, she tied for third at the 2005 Wildcat Invitational after carding a career-low round of 68 in the first round, helping her to a three-round total of 212 (-1), also a career-best tournament score. The Spokane, Wash., native placed in the Top 20 twice this season.
Garcia tied for 6th at the 2005 Pac-10 Championships. It was the Borriol, Spain, native’s career-best finish as a Wildcat. She carded a 217 (+1). The 5-6 senior shot even-to-or-under-par four times this season and holds a 76.59 stroke average.
Up next for the Wildcats is the NCAA Regional Tournament, beginning on May 5.
--###--
2005 All-Pacific-10 Team
First Team:
Louise Stahle, Arizona State
Amie Cochran, UCLA
Susie Mathews, UCLA
Charlotte Mayorkas, UCLA
Ana Kostina, Washington State
Paige Mackenzie, Washington
Second Team:
Kim Welch, Washington State
CASSANDRA KIRKLAND, ARIZONA
Tiffany Tavee, Arizona State
Alissa Kuczka, Arizona State
Sofie Andersson, California
Johnna Nealy, Oregon
Honorable Mention: Irene Cho, USC; Tanya Dergal, USC; Lani Elston, Arizona; Mar Garcia, Arizona; Kelly Husted, Stanford; Hannah Jun, UCLA; Sung Ea Lee, Washington; Catalina Marin, USC; Kim McCready, Oregon; Amber Prange, Washington; Dewi-Claire Schreefel, USC; Sophia Sheridan, California; Kim Shin, Washington; Erin Tone, Arizona State; Jennifer Tangtiphaiboontana, Stanford.
Pac-10 Golfer of the Year: Louise Stahle, Arizona State
Pac-10 Freshman Golfer of the Year: Louise Stahle, Arizona State
Pac-10 Coach of the Year: Carrie Forsyth, UCLA
