Shauna Wilde Wins Individual Title and Breaks Scoring Record, Leading Women's Golf to its First NEC Championship

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4/19/05 -- Senior Shauna Wilde (Mississauga, Ontario) won her first Northeast Conference title, shooting 76 to close with a tournament-record 149 and help Long Island University capture its first conference crown with a 10-shot victory at Clustered Spires Golf Club in Frederick, Md.

One day after shooting a career-best 73 that tied the tournament record, Wilde clinched her third All-NEC honor with a three-shot win over defending champion Alysse Sweeney of Wagner. Her two-round total smashed the previous mark of 156, which she and Michelle Raymond of St. Francis (PA) shot in 2002 before Wilde lost on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff.

Wilde, owner of two of the five individual titles in school history and a sixth-place finisher at last year’s conference tournament, also won the Hofstra Spring Invitational in April.

Senior Veronica Lopes (Mississauga, Ontario), winner of the other three titles in LIU annals, carded 81 to finish tied for third with 155 after shooting a career-best 74 on Monday. It is her third appearance on the all-conference team as she closed tied for eighth in 2002 and tied for fourth the following year.

Senior Tracey Chew (Sacramento, Calif.) shot 85 for the second straight day to close 16th with 170 and sophomore Erica Chong (Hilo, Hawaii) finished tied for 17th with 172.

In just their fourth year of existence, the Blackbirds came through after finishing second each of the previous three seasons. Their total of 645 easily outdistanced St. Francis (PA), which came in as the three-time defending champion. It is LIU’s fifth victory in a major tournament and third this season as it also captured the Fairfield Invitational in March and the Hofstra Spring Invitational.

It also is the first championship for first-year coach Michael Michaelides. He took over the squad after the passing of Lonnie Barton, LIU’s first coach, last August.

The Blackbirds advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history, duplicating the feat accomplished by the men’s squad a season ago. The selection announcement will take place next Monday and regionals will be held May 5-7 in Gainesville, Fla., Lubbock, Texas and Las Cruces, N.M.